And I'll Walk with You
by Xengo
Summary: It started out differently than she thought, but in the end, Krystal was happy. A story of our two favorite Foxes moving through life together, and growing together.
1. Chapter 1

And welcome to the start of a new story.

This is inspired mainly by ThatWinchieGuys My Life is Yours stories. That is, a long tale of Fox and Krystal starting their relationship, going through life, and growing old together. This may very well be my love letter to my OTP, which has caused me many an "aww" in my time on this site.

I know this chapter is short, but I felt it appropriate to end it where it ends. The next chapters will most likely be longer.

Another note, about Heritage. It was a good idea, but...I'm putting it on the shelf for some time. Honestly, I rushed into that story without much of plan besides an outline in my head. Plot holes are everywhere, and I have better standards. Maybe I will come back to it.

For now, this and All the Stars will take up most of my time for activities on this site. Maybe some oneshots from other series here and there, as well.

Also, thank you for all the reviews for my stories and the kind words from everyone. I've met some great people on this site. I am very blessed.

...and, you know, you all are blessed to have me grace with my presence BUT ANYWAY

Thank you for your time, and please review. God bless, and have a safe night. I hope you all had a great Holiday and New Years!

* * *

Chapter I: A Different Way to Start, but...

Krystal was not a bad pilot.

As a matter of fact, it surprised Fox how quickly she learned. As leader of Star Fox, he only wanted the best. And although he was biased when it came to her—hence why Peppy and Falco had been the ones to examine her for possible acceptance into the team—Fox could say confidently that she was good. Very good. Better than Slippy, and he'd like to think she could gain after Falco someday.

But accidents happen. Which was why he was staring at Krystal as she slept in the sick bay, with her arm bandaged.

Fox wasn't a stranger to losing a wing in battle. Sometimes an enemy ship got lucky, and sometimes you clip one off by cutting it to close to an obstacle. However, this time one of the pirate pilots they had flown against got a lucky shot in on Krystal's left wing. The resulting explosion had burned Krystal's left arm badly, and had bruised other parts of her body. It wasn't something that Krystal couldn't recover from. He'd been through something like this as well. Plenty of times, actually.

But it hurt to see her like this. And the moments that followed after Fox had carried her from her Arwing over to the sickbay were some of the most emotionally draining moments of his life.

It hurt to see her like this.

Fox sat down beside the sickbay bed and began to stroke her cheek. Her fur was soft and plush, and warm. He smiled as he listened to her breathing. He saw her eyes twitch before they opened, those beautiful turquoise orbs looking at him while she smiled.

"Nice of you to visit me," she murmured.

"Yeah," he whispered, still stroking her cheek. Krystal leaned into the palm of his hand, and closed her eyes again.

"I'm glad you're alright," said Fox.

"Hmm," she hummed. "I'm glad I am too. And I'm happy you're here."

These moments between the two of them made Fox's heart soar. His smile broadened as the two of them just stayed there together.

Fox felt warm, and even peaceful.

But at the same time, he felt worry begin to fester in his heart.

* * *

It had been a week since they had seen each other in the sick bay, and Krystal was happy with her recovery. She'd be back in an Arwing soon enough, and the fur she lost was a great trade for still being alive.

The only problem was Fox.

'He hasn't talked to me that much since that time in the sick bay,' she thought worriedly. 'And if I know Fox, that means he's keeping something to himself.'

That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but even still, she was worried about him. She enjoyed their heart-to-heart talks. When you were a mercenary pilot, you're down time was precious. Plus, she felt a special kind of comfort from being around that vulpine.

She sighed as she sat down in the Great Fox's lounging area, staring out the window at the stars and wondering what was going on.

"Why hello there, Blueness."

Krystal smiled and looked back at the resident blue avian of the team. "And hello to you too, Other Blueness."

"Well, now I gotta change that nickname." Falco replied. He smirked, clothed in his flight suit and jacket like she was, and sat down next to her. "So, you know what's been bothering Fox?"

"You're wondering about that too?" Krystal asked, raising her eyebrows, "He hasn't talked to me much at all these past few days. I'm guessing he hasn't talked that much to anyone else?"

"Shoot, he isn't talking to you?" Falco replied, looking surprised. "Well darn then, now I know somethin' isn't right. When Fox is this quiet, it isn't a good thing."

"The only other times I can think of that he's this quiet is on the anniversaries of his parent's deaths," said Krystal. "And even then, he'll talk to me, if only to lean on my shoulder. But this...I haven't seen him like this before."

"As long as I've known that orange furball," Falco started, "The last time he brooded this much, I believe, was when his father died. Oh, wait then," he stopped, his eyes widening. "Then it's really bad."

"I'm going to talk to him," Krystal said, before promptly getting up and walking to the Pilot's Quarters hallway. Once at his door, she felt around with her mind in the room before confirming that said orange furball was present. And indeed, he was.

And he was nervous. And melancholic. And…a host of other bad things.

"Fox?" Krystal gently called out, "What's wrong?"

Silence answered her. Until she heard an almost-whisper reply back with:

"Krystal?"

Why was he being so quiet?

"Fox? Fox, I don't mean to be overbearing, but please let me in. Something's wrong."

She flinched as she felt a pang of worry come from Fox, before hearing footsteps come over to the door and open it.

She gasped when she saw Fox. He looked...tired. Like he had been thinking too long. She reach out and put her hand on his chest. He flinched.

"Fox?" she whispered. "What's wrong?"

For a moment, Fox didn't answer, before he stepped aside.

"Come in, Krystal." said Fox, again with that almost-whisper tone.

Whatever was going on, she immediately didn't like it.

Still, she walked in, and stood in the middle of the room. Fox closed the door, and walked over to the wall and leaned against it. He looked at her, and then looked down at his feet.

Out of respect, Krystal opted not to read his mind, since whatever was on Fox's mind was clearly something he needed to get off his chest himself. But with her empathetic powers, she could sense his emotions. Worry. Trepidation. Fear.

"Fox," she began, softly, caringly. "Tell me what's wrong-"

"I don't want you on the team anymore."

Stunned silence. In fact, she wasn't even sure if she heard him right.

"...what?" she responded, blankly.

"I don't feel comfortable with you on the team anymore," Fox said stoically. Or as stoically as he could, because there was clearly a hitch in his voice.

A million things raced through her mind. Disbelief. Anger. Indignation.

"Excuse me?" she replied. "Fox, what is going on?"

"Nothing is going on-"

"Don't! Lie to me." Krystal said angrily. Now she was steamed just at the fact that he actually tried to lie to her. A telepath. That was an insult. "Something is going on and-"

"I don't feel comfortable with you here anymore," Fox replied. He was trying so hard to make himself seem emotionless, but he was failing. Those same feelings of worry and fear were spiking within him.

She knew instantly, and clearly, that Fox did not want to do this.

"Why? Fox, you know I can handle-" she began, until she had an idea. Now was the time to use her mind. Placing two fingers on her forehead she began to peer into his head. Fox shouted in protest, but whatever he said was drowned at as Krystal beheld a familiar image.

It was the two of them, sitting in the sickbay while she was recovering after her wing was destroyed and her arm was badly burnt. Of Fox stroking her cheek, and the two of them looking fondly at each other.

She gasped, as she came back into focus on the here and now.

Whatever anger she had was replaced understanding, and concern.

"Fox," she began, steadily. "This is about my injury, right?"

He did not answer. Instead he looked away.

"Fox, look at me."

Slowly, he did. He had abandoned that stoic look and replaced it with and almost haggard-looking gaze.

"It could have been worse, Krystal," he said quietly. "You know that. That blast could have hit your G-Diffuser and-"

"But it didn't," she countered. "That didn't happen, and I'm still here. Accidents are going to happen-"

"But what happens when your luck runs out, Krystal?" He half-shouted. "You could have died out there, and you know that."

"How many times have you, Falco, or Slippy had close calls?" she questioned, her voice stern, yet a little gentle. "You haven't talked to them like this, right? Why is that?"

Fox looked away, and she felt another spike of fear radiate from him.

"Fox, what's going on?" She pleaded softly. "Why is this coming up now?"

"...you need to leave." He said quietly.

"Fox-"

"Please. Krystal, you need to get out of here," Fox pleaded, looking at the floor.

It was then that Krystal knew she would have to use more persuasive methods. So right then she walked up to him, grabbed his arm, and held it close to her chest. Fox blushed wildly, stammered a moment, before finally getting control of himself again.

"Krystal, what are you-"

"I'm not leaving," she said simply.

"What-"

"I'm not leaving," she repeated. "I refuse to. This place is my home, and this team is my family. I'm not about to leave because of something you're not telling me about."

Fox opened his mouth again, and she simply squeezed his arm tighter. He blushed even more, and now she felt frustration from him, anger as well. But that all vanished the moment he looked at her meaningfully. She felt...something. Something stirring within him that...that she could almost identify.

"Why are you doing this?" He demanded.

"Because I want to stay. I love piloting, Fox. More than that, I want to stay with you and the others. And I know you don't want to do this," she stated softly, giving him a concerned look. "So please...tell me what's really wrong."

Fox stared at his feet again for a time, before looking up at her with a look that gave her pause. He looked...desperate. Afraid. It scared her.

No...no, he was not scared for himself. She could feel that he was scared...scared for her?

"Fox..." she said softly,"Please-"

And she felt it.

That warm feeling. That warm feeling she had felt so many times before in their encounters with each other, that same feeling that she had felt when they were in the sickbay with one another. That same feeling that she hoped would bloom into something more, that same feeling she had been so patient for.

Beside herself, Krystal smiled warmly.

"Fox..." she murmured, "You don't have to be afraid-"

"NO!"

She nearly let go of Fox arm when he shouted like that. He looked rampant, that fear in his mind now much more than a small feeling.

"Fox, what's-"

"I won't let you!" Fox cried, shaking. "You need to leave! I can't let you be hurt." Tear were welling up in his eyes, and she drew closer to him. He was frantic.

"Calm down, F-" she began, clutching his arm tightly.

"NO!" he screamed. "NO, I WON'T LOSE YOU LIKE I LOST MY PARENTS! I WON'T LOSE ANOTHER PERSON THAT I LOVE-"

And just as quick as he had said that, he slapped his hand over his mouth, and blushed wildly. Now he was really shaking. He looked absolutely mortified.

Krystal placed a paw over her mouth, her jaw dropped. For an age the both of them stood there in silence, before her mouth closed and formed into a wide, loving smile.

"Oh..." she began, gently. "Fox...you..."

Now that feeling of mortification was the only thing that was spiking from Fox. He was staring at her in fear. Fear, she knew, of rejection. Well, she thought cheerfully, it was time to change the tone of this conversation. She leaned in close to him, and Fox backed up against the wall. He looked incredibly shy, and couldn't even look her in the eye. It was adorable.

"K-Krystal..." He stammered. "I-I mean...N-no! You don't need to stay because of this! You need to-"

"I think," she interrupted softly, still with that loving smile on her face, "I need to tell you something, Fox."

"I-I know that you may not like me ba-huh?" he stammered, now blushing like his face was on fire. "W-what-"

With a tilt of her head, Krystal grabbed Fox by his flight suit collar and yanked him into a kiss. To make sure he didn't wiggle out, she slammed him up against the wall. But as soon as she felt his reaction to the kiss, she knew he wouldn't move away. He flinched at first, and though she closed her eyes she knew his eyes must be about as wide as dinner plates right now. But then she felt him become puddy in her hands, moaning and shyly deepening the kiss after becoming bolder.

She reveled in it. Their first real kiss, and though it happened under different circumstances than she thought it would, Krystal began to cry small tears of joy. She pushed her tongue further into his mouth, set on letting him know just how much she loved him. He sighed in reply.

However the kiss lasted, she only knew that it was one of the happiest moments of her life. She pulled back with an affectionate sigh, and smiled upon seeing Fox expression. He was simply stupefied, his mouth slightly open and his eyes with a dazed look.

"Fox," she began, cupping his cheeks and touching her forehead with his, "I love you too, silly."

Now she could see his eyes look like dinner plates, and his mouth open and close for a time before he replied, dumbly.

"You love me?"

She petted his cheek and answered, "Yes, I do. Now do you see why I won't leave?"

Fox just looked at her.

"I couldn't leave you, Fox. While I do love flying, do you know the main reason why I keep going out there? It's to protect this team. Especially..." and she lowered her left hand and poked his heart, "...you. Just like you worry about me, I worry about you. You may be the better pilot, but you are no stranger to close calls. And I seek to protect you when those close calls happen, Fox. Because you're precious to me," she explained.

Fox could only keep looking at her. Then he opened his mouth again, "You...you love me?"

Krystal giggled. "Isn't that what I said?"

"Why?" was the only thing he asked.

Fox leaned into Fox and closed her eyes. "I will admit, I was attracted to you when I first meant you. I knew the feeling was mutual too, and you were shy about it, and I thought it was cute. I saw that you wanted to help me recuperate after the mission on Sauria, partly out of care for me once you knew Andross had destroyed my planet and my people, and that I had nowhere to go, but also because...you wanted to be around me," she murmured amorously. "And I didn't mind. We started talking, getting to know each other. Becoming close. You wanted me to join you on the team, and after plenty of training, I did. I loved being out there in in the stars with a new family and new friends that cared about me. And you loved being by me. And I loved being by you. You cared about me, Fox. Already, back then, I could tell that you were starting to love me. And I...I loved you. After the Aperoid invasion I was sure that you would come talk to me about it, since I wanted to be sure you were confident in your feelings. And here we are, Fox. Not in the way I expected, but...here we are..." she whispered, nuzzling his forehead when she finished.

Wordlessly, Fox wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. He closed his eyes as tears began to form, and whispered, "And I was about to make you leave."

"You were worried about me," she murmured, closing her eyes again. "You want to me protect me, but I want to protect you to. I won't let you push me away."

Fox shivered, and held her tighter. "I'm scared, Krystal. I don't want to lose you."

"Then we fight as hard as we can. We watch eachother's backs. We be there for each other. I'm not leaving, Fox McCloud. I will fly by your side, whether you like it or not."

She felt him shiver again, and she wrapped her own arms around him as she felt his mind settle down slightly.

"You would really risk your life for me, out there?" he asked.

"Would you do the same for me?"

"Yes." He answered, unflinchingly.

"Then you have your answer."

"Am I...am I really worth that much-"

"Fox," she interrupted forcibly, "I love you. Doesn't that explain it?"

They held each other in that room, and she didn't let go. Neither did he. Krystal felt him settle down completely. His heart beat against her chest, and it soothed her.

"Stay with me." He whispered. "I want you with me."

She smiled, and kissed him on the forehead.

* * *

It was a sound that woke Fox up. A rhythmic beating. Something like a heartbeat. Upon opening his eyes he found that, indeed, that was what the sound was. He was lying in his bed, with his cheek pressed against Krystal chest, with her arm around his back and a hand behind his head.

Strangely he didn't blush. Well, he did a little bit, but his most pronounced reaction was the small smile that lit up his muzzle. He felt...happy. More happy than he had ever felt in a long time. The vixen of his dreams was holding him in her sleep, and though he didn't remember how he got here, everything was all right.

He sighed, snuggling deeper into her fur despite himself, and closed his eyes.

This had been an interesting evening.

* * *

Krystal awoke to the feeling of someone's arms wrapped around her. Looking down, she smiled. Fox was still right where she left him, flushed against her and sleeping soundly. She caressed the top of his head. He looked so peaceful while he slept, as opposed to the active and sometimes tumultuous life he lived. But here, he looked completely content. Safe. She could feel his peaceful emotions radiating from him, and she clutched him tighter.

He was so cute while he was sleeping.

Then she felt him shift around, and she saw his eyes open. He blinked a few times, looked up her, and blinked again. She smiled. He blushed, though not as darkly as he would have before.

"It wasn't a dream..." he murmured.

"No, it wasn't," she affirmed softly. "I am in fact cuddling you, Fox McCloud."

Now that blush got a little more scarlet, though again, it seemed less pronounced. Fox snuggled closer. "You are. And it feels nice," he whispered.

"Look at you, acting all vulnerable," Krystal chuckled. "I've only seen this side of you perhaps a handful of times."

"I've just...never been so close to someone. I feel different around you" He replied. After a moment he added, "I love you."

"I love you too," she said back, giving him a lick on the head.

They sat there in silence for a time. His body against her's, feeling his breath and warmth, it all felt wonderful. She felt completely at rest, and she knew Fox felt the same way. It was evident from the way he held himself so close to her, and how nothing about him felt tense.

After some time, Fox sat up, and she sat up with him. He looked into her eyes, and looked at his lap.

"I'm...sorry for what happened earlier,' he spoke quietly.

"It's fine, Fox. I know why you tried to do it. We've both been through so much," she said affectionately, rubbing his thigh, "But I knew I couldn't leave. Like I said, this is my home."

He looked at her paw, her soft touch causing him to blush lightly. She felt a dull sense of excitement rise within him, and she inwardly smiled. She frowned once he looked at her, worry evident on his face.

"Nonetheless, I'm still scared, Krystal. I don't know what to do. After what you told me, I can't ask you to leave. Not after what you've already been through. But I still...that's just it Krystal. I'm scared. I'm scared for you," he said.

She gave Fox's thigh a squeeze. Her expression was steadfast. "I know that. I'm not asking you to not be worried about me, Fox. That would be unreasonable. What I am asking is that you let me pilot. I love doing it. I love helping people. And I love keeping everyone on this team safe. You especially."

"You can't say that, Krystal," he murmured worriedly. "You can't just favor me. But I understand you. I do. And..."

He closed his eyes, and gave her a firm look. "I won't kick you off the team. I won't take you off the flight roster. And I know that I love you. We just need to work some things out with how this will affect the team. I can't have you getting reckless over me, and I can't be getting reckless over you."

She knew Fox was right. In the end, she was happy that she had a place in Star Fox. And that he once again affirmed his love for her. And if she was being honest, she was also proud that he was trying to handle this situation effectively and maturely.

As if she needed more proof he would treat her right.

"I think," she began. "That we ought to talk to Falco and Slippy about this. Well, Falco really, since Slippy is on Aquas for personal business. And knowing him...he ought to be lax about it. Maybe Falco could even give us some advice?"

"The very idea of going to Falco for relationship advice feels me with unspeakable terror," said Fox, smirking. He caressed her cheek. "But maybe you're right. He ought to at least know enough so that he isn't out of the loop. He is our friend, after all."

"Sometimes I think the word 'friend' is loosely applied when it comes to you and him," Krystal said, giggling a little.

"Oh, trust me, I think the reason why I'm still best friends with Falco is that I can't find a good enough reason to kick him out. I mean, that says something right?"

"Oh, you," she muttered, playfully punching him in the arm, "I've felt your emotions around him. You two are still close, despite everything."

"Aww, you gave it away," he replied. He smiled brightly. "But you are right. Falco's been my friend for a while. He wouldn't steer me wrong on this."

She got of the bed, with Fox following behind her. She felt him grab her arm, and she looked at him questioningly.

"One more thing," he said shyly.

She raised an eyebrow, but from the emotions coming from him and the blush he had on, she gave him a sincere smile.

"Yes?" she asked.

He took a breath, then leaned in and kissed her shyly on the lips, before walking out of the room.

She held a paw to her lips. She stood there for a moment, and then shook her head smiling.

This was going to be incredible.


	2. Chapter 2

Annnd here we are again.

This chapter was troublesome to edit, and hard to write. Even now, I'm not entirely satisfied with it, but I really want to get it out there anyway. Might be because most of this chapter was written during late nights when my brain is mushy. Late night Xengo is tired Xengo who needs sleep. To bad I'm a night owl. Tis most regrettable.

If anyone wants to beta read my stuff, feel free to send a PM. I would really appreciate it.

Anyway, please read and review! Tell me what you think, what things could be better, what things could be improved upon, what things should be changed, etc.

God bless, be safe, and thank you for your time. Have a good night.

* * *

Chapter II: Love is in the Air.

"You mean it finally happened? Oh, thank goodness. The tension between you two was incredible."

Fox immediately palmed his face while Krystal laughed. Coming to Falco to tell him about the start of their relationship, and ask for advice about it. Truly, his greatest feat as a being with common sense. Here they were, in the lounge, and this was actually happening.

"Oh, don't act like that Fox. Everyone was waiting for it, and now it's happened," the blue avian added, while sipping a can of soda.

"He has a point, Fox," Krystal said teasingly, patting him on the back. "I think everyone saw it happening."

"Not you too!" Fox protested. "You know I was unsure about it."

"Considering the way it came out, yes, I do know you were nervous.

He turned and saw Falco looking at him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, how did it come out. It must have been something extraordinary, considering how long it took you to spit it out, Foxie."

Fox thought about keeping this part a secret, but out of respect for his friend, he told him anyway.

"I...I called her into my room, and told her that I didn't feel comfortable about her being on the team anymore. I wanted her to leave. I was concerned for her safety. She...wouldn't leave. So I panicked, and told her I wouldn't lose another person I love. And...and things just happened from there."

He left the part about the kiss out. The more intimate details weren't Falco's business.

Falco just looked at him for a long while. Then he shook his head.

"The only thing I can say is that...honestly, I'm not surprised. Fox, you would be the guy to tell the girl he loves to get away from him because you don't want her to get hurt. It's something out of a cheesy romance story, but here we are man." the avian said solemnly.

He supposed that Falco was joking somewhat light-heartedly about what had happened, but all Fox felt was guilt. Guilt about what almost happened. Guilt about how he almost made the women he cared about more than anything leave her new home, a place full of people who cared about her and loved her.

But all those ill feelings vanished when he felt a soft paw caress his check. He looked and saw Krystal, giving him one of those warm smiles that made him feel whole.

"It's okay, Fox," she said gently.

He sat there, feeling her fingers against his cheek, and he smiled back.

"Gah, look at you two," Falco muttered, putting a wing over his face. Krystal giggled, and Fox couldn't help but chuckle too.

"But you know what, Fox," he added, smiling at the two of them, and Fox couldn't help but notice how genuine that smile looked, "The fact that she refused to leave? That speaks volumes to how much she loves ya. And really, the fact that you would try keep her out of danger speaks volumes about you as well."

Krystal just shook her head. "How do you know so much about romance, Falco?"

"Hey," he huffed grumpily, "I'm not a complete jerk. And this isn't hard to see. You two were made for each other. Fox would do anything to protect you, and you would disobey his orders if it meant staying with him. Shoot, it's written on the wall, guys."

Fox couldn't resist smiling broadly. It wasn't that hard, wasn't it? Then he adopted a more serious expression.

"There's more that we wanted to talk about, Falco," he said.

Again, Falco raised an eyebrow. "Well?" he asked.

Now Krystal spoke. "Falco, does us being together and still flying with you...bother you?"

Falco wore a confused look for a second before figuring it out. "Oh. Ohhhh. You mean the whole 'professional concerns' shindig?"

They both nodded.

Falco smirked. "Heh. I believe that stuff went out the window the moment Foxie here decided to stack his team full of close friends. I could accuse him of nepotism, but then again, I'm part of the team."

"Hey," Fox protested. "I put good pilots on my team. Sure, you all are close to me, but you all wouldn't be here if I thought you couldn't be good pilots."

"You did have me and Peppy oversee Krystal's evaluations, so I can't fault you there. But still, professional stuff? Foxie, I've never considered this as a professional outfit. And I don't think you have either."

The more Fox actually thought about it, the more he couldn't help but agree. The first thought that came to Fox's mind when it came to this team was "family" and not "professionals." Maybe his concerns were unfounded...?

"But still," said Krystal, "Aren't you worried that Fox's concern for me will cause him to be...off his game, so to speak?"

"If anything, it will make him fight harder," Falco replied.

Fox nodded. Krystal looked at him and flashed him a smile.

"But," she added, "In a situation were you and I were in danger, what if-"

"You're saying that Fox would probably save your life before mine," Falco said bluntly.

Fox tried his best to not feel uncomfortable. After all, this was a valid point. Falco was his best friend, like Slippy. His brother. But Krystal...

But strangely, the most Falco did was shrug. "I mean, I would be more worried about that if Krystal was a load. Except she isn't. She perfectly capable of taking care of herself, not to mention the fact that you have two other wingmen to watch both of your backs. And if I'm being completely honest," and here Fox was surprised to see Falco crack a grin, "I had this figured out a while back. You know how I say everyone could see it? Blueness, as soon as I saw the way Fox acted around you, it was already evident that he was gonna fall in love with you. That means he would value your life above everything. Possibly even the job, if need be. And you know? At first I was worried, but then I figured that was natural. So yeah, I'm aware of your concerns, and I've faced them already. If things ever came down to you guys vs the job...money doesn't matter." He took a sip of his soda. "I'm not at dense as I look, you two. I know some things."

Fox simply stared at his friend, sat up from his seat, and walked over and drew Falco into a hug.

"Awww..." Krystal whispered. Not teasingly.

"Foxie, if you know what's good for you, you will let me go," Falco grumbled.

Fox held him tighter. "Consider this a thank you from a good friend. I...I mean it, Falco."

Falco settled down and sighed. He patted Fox on the back. "All right, all right. Friendship is magic. Now let me go. I'm not one for the mushy stuff."

Fox did so, and walked backed to his seat next to Krystal.

"I'll just warn you, Fox," Falco began, "You are living for two, as they say. Don't do anything stupid out there. And same to you, Blueness. We're still a team here."

Fox nodded. He looked, and saw that Krystal did so as well.

"And now, if you excuse me, I'm gonna go listen to loud, obnoxious music to drain tha' feels out of me. Go make out or something." And with that, the blue avian walked out of the room, leaving a blushing Fox and a giggling Krystal in his wake.

"Well," he heard Krystal whisper into his ear, "Shall we?"

Fox barely got out a "huh" before Krystal drew him into a kiss. It was passionate, yet short, and left Fox breathless.

"Oh ha ha," Fox murmured, though smiling. "I need to get used to being caught off guard with those moments. You always make the moves."

"Then that's something you can improve upon," Krystal chirped back, grinning.

Fox nodded his head, and then stared off into space in thought. He was surprised at Falco's insight. Even concerning the unfortunate question of priorities. Thankfully, he knew Krystal was no burden, thanks to being a pilot.

But then one particular thought began to nag at him. It shocked him at first, but the more he thought about it...

"You're thinking about something," said Krystal, waking him.

"I am," Fox answered, his ears twitching. "And I would like it to be private, if that's fine."

Krystal gave him a worried look.

"Krystal," he urged, "I'm not going to go back on what I said. I am not kicking you off the team. If the thought ever crosses my mind ever again, rest assured, I will talk to you about it and we will settle it," He gave her a honest smile.

Krystal's look softened, and she leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. Her fur felt so great against his, so...natural, even.

"Your sincerity is one of your better qualities," Krystal hummed. "I'll respect your privacy...for now," she added playfully.

"What?" he countered, smiling himself. "You going to mess with my mind, now that we are in a relationship?"

"Perhaps..." she hummed again, coyly.

He chuckled. "I...I wouldn't mind that."

"I'll keep that in mind, then," she answered.

Then two of them just sat there quietly. It was pretty amazing, knowing that the two of them could just enjoy being together like this, silently. Krystal had that affect on him. He always felt drawn to her, like being by her side was just his natural position in life.

"Hey, Krys," He murmured.

She opened her eyes. "Hmm?," she hummed.

"Let's...let's put the team on hiatus for a bit. So we can have time to...explore. What do you say?"

Krystal looked up him, skeptical. "This is you being a paranoid, still."

Fox sighed. "It...It is. But like Falco said, I will fight harder when the time comes. And over this break we can train, train harder than ever. But for right now, I just want to be with you." His tail started to wag. "I mean, you love me back! How can I not be all giddy and want to spend some time with you?"

Krystal's look melted into a loving one, and she reached up and pinched his cheek. "Thank you for being honest. And I would love to spend to spend time with you...Foxie Woxie," she cooed.

She about barreled over laughing when she saw how he blushed at that. "F-Foxie Woxie?"

"Mmhmm. Now that we are official, I should think it's time I...spoiled you a bit more, shall we say," she replied, hooding her gaze.

"And what does that m-mean?"

"I leave that to you to think about." She said back, giving him a coy look.

Just then, a beeping noise sounded over the Great Fox's Comm system. Then ROB spoke.

"Pilot Slippy has returned."

"And there's the other person we need to talk to," quipped Fox. "Let's go."

He stood, and held out his paw to her. She took it.

"Let's," she agreed.

Just then Falco came into the room, gave them a glace, and starting heading to the hanger.

"Come on, you two. Put your clothes back on so we can meet up with Slip. I wonder what kept him down there so long," he called back to them.

"Annnnnd I going to kill him for that one," Fox stated simply, beginning to follow the avian with Krystal by his side.

"Oh come on, Fox, it wasn't that bad," said Krystal, though when he looked at her he saw she was in fact blushing slightly.

"It's only going to get worse from here," Fox replied, rolling his eyes.

The moment Slippy climbed out of his Arwing, Krystal knew that something had happened on Aquas. Judging from that giddy smile and giddy feelings coming off from her frog companion, she figured that whatever had happened was something quite fantastic. Out of respect, she decided not to pry into his mind.

"Well Slip" said Fox, walking up to him, "Judging from the way you look, I'd say you come bearing good news."

"Huh?" Slippy replied, as if woken from a dream. Then he shook his head. "Oh! Uh, yeah, I do. You guys won't believe it! Guess what happened to me while I was down there?"

"Your voice cracked, indicating that you are finally achieving puberty?" Falco asked.

Slippy merely shot him a glare, as if by reflex. "No. I met a girl!"

Krystal's eyes widened, and she smiled.

"Oh really? Right when puberty's beginning. How about that," the blue avian quipped.

Not missing a beat, both Slippy and Fox replied with a "shut up" at the same time. Falco chuckled.

"Man, I am getting too predictable," the avian muttered to himself.

"Oh hush, you." said Krystal. She turned to Slippy. "But Slipp, that's great! What's her name?"

"Her name's Amanda, and she's a real knockout! And get this! She works for my dad's company as a technician! We're in the same field! It's as if it was meant to be." The frog had a dreamy look in his eyes.

"I'm happy for ya Slipp! And you know, that's funny, because something similar happened to me-"

"You and Krystal finally hooked up?" Slipp asked, as if it wasn't a surprise.

It took every ounce of Krystal's will power to not burst out laughing at Fox's face. He looked like he wanted to punch a wall. And though the walls of the Great Fox's hanger were of hardened metal, she believed he would actually leave a dent.

"Yes. Yes, we did, Slippy. And I'm assuming that's not a surprise in the least?" the blue vixen asked, smirking.

"Well, everyone saw it coming. I mean, the real question was when Foxs was gonna-"

"Okay!" Fox shouted, very annoyed, "I get it, I was being nervous about it. Let's move on. Slipp," he began, sounding serious, "I wanted to tell you because me and Krystal are worried about how this will affect the team. We already asked Falco, and he was fine with it. What about you?"

Slippy looked thoughtful for a moment, the smiled at Fox. "Honestly? Considering how obvious it was, I was already used to the idea of you two getting together. Really, we're all friends her anyway, so the whole 'professional' thing never occurred to me. So in the end, I'm fine with it. Just, please Fox," he added, now looking worried, "don't do anything stupid. You could depend on us to bail Krystal out of jam if she get's in one. And thankfully she's good, so that hopefully won't happen that often."

"And I will depend on you as well to save Fox when he get's in trouble as well," Krystal added.

"Of course. And just because I'm curious, how did you do it Fox? Did your feelings finally overwhelm you, and you just spit it out?"

Fox looked uncomfortable. He looked at Krystal, and she nodded.

"Well," Fox began, "It started because I told her that I wanted her off the team, for her own safety."

Slippy's already buggy eyes got even buggier. "What?! Fox, how could you ask that-oh. The accident. Right." Slippy calmed down. " I mean, yeah, of course you'll be worried. But those kinds of accidents happen, you know? We've all gotten a little closer to death than most people have. Krystal seems unbothered by that."

"I watched my entire planet, and my entire people, be wiped away by a monster of man," said Krystal darkly. "If anything, death and me are acquaintances."

"And I'm guessing that she out right refused to leave and then you spat it out?" Slippy asked.

"Am I really that predictable?" Fox muttered, palming his face with is paw.

"Yeah, you are." Falco answered.

Fox looked back at the two of them. "Alright. Now that both of you are informed, I'm glad that you two are fine with this. But Slippy...and Falco, I'm still struggling with this, when there's come a time when you guys are in bind and-"

"You go after Krystal first?" Slippy answered, looking serious. "Again, Fox, that may be a hard subject, but I can't say I don't expect it. I mean..." then Slippy shrugged, "we just gotta train hard and try not to let that happen. And moreso, please Fox, and you too, Krystal," and here he gave them a pleading look, "don't do anything stupid out there. We can pick up the slack."

Fox looked at his two wingmen, and nodded. Krystal could still sense something wavering in Fox's mind, but out of respect, she didn't pry. Fox had been completely sincere in his promise to not ask her to leave the team. He understood that she would protect him, as he did. This feeling was something else.

"Also," Fox added. "Me and Krystal we're talking about this. Since we've just now become a couple, I hope you all don't mind if put the team on a small hiatus, just so I can spend time with her. The both of you may find jobs on your own, and I only ask that you be careful. Is this fair?"

"Well, can't say I didn't see this coming," said Falco, crossing his arms. "I suppose that's fine. We have been busy clearing away pirates and finished reconstruction efforts since the Aperoids were taken care of. Just as long as this doesn't become a trend. You can't just stop us from flying, Fox."

"I'm aware," Fox replied curtly.

"I'm fine with it too," Slippy replied.

"And you're just saying that because you wanna court this girl of yours. Say, what's her name?" the avain asked.

After giving Falco a look, Slippy replied. "Her name is Amanda."

"Amanda...it's a nice name," said Krystal. Slippy smiled at her.

"Well, that's enough serious stuff for now. Why don't we head over to the sims for some friendly training and competition? I have to fufill my monthly quota of proving that all of you are beneath me."

"Falco, if you stroke that ego of yours anymore, it's going to go raw," Krystal muttered.

"And that's the plan, Blueness." Falco smirked, winking.

It had been a fun time at the sims, actually. Fox smiled, remembering Falco squawking when he and Krystal beat the avian and Slipp three times in a row once they finished with free-for-alls. He was also happy because Krystal's performance appeared to be proving. She not only managed to hound everyone in free-for-alls rather well, but she even shot down Falco plenty of times in teams. She was improving soundly.

And he knew the reason why. And he too, would improve as well.

He sat in his bed, now willing himself to try and fall asleep. The sims had been tiring, and Krystal had opted to sleep alone tonight, though she did so reluctantly. And he already missed being in her arms. But if she need her space, so be it.

After staring at the ceiling for while, his wrist communicator beeped. Looking at it and seeing a familiar number, he smiled. He pressed the "answer" button.

The small holographic head of Peppy Hare appeared, looking at him and smiling.

"You heard?" Fox asked.

"Krystal told me just a few minutes ago. Fox, she looked like she won the lottery," Peppy replied, his smile widening.

"She and me both. I just found out the girl of my dreams not only likes me, but really likes me," he answered, a little dopey grin appearing on his face.

Peppy chuckled. The both of them did. After they finished, Peppy's face became serious. "She also told me how it happened."

Once again he felt guilt, though the hare's gentle look calmed him. "Don't feel bad, Fox. What you did wasn't necessarily wrong. But it was hasty. You're fortunate Krystal refused and got that confession out of you."

"I will always remember how lucky I am," Fox murmured.

"I'm assuming that you told the team about this?"

"I did. They...understand the situation. How Krystal's life became more important to me. They're lax about it because Krystal's capable of taking care of herself. And improving. She's earned their respect."

"Indeed. Still, Fox, you have a lot of thinking to do."

"I know. I intend to do that thinking." Fox stared of into space for a moment before continuing. "How did my father manage his relationship in the beginning?"

"Vixy, fortunately, always knew that your father would be in dangerous situations. To protect her, and eventually you. From the time I met her, and noticed that she understood your father, I knew she and him were simply meant to be. She wasn't comfortable with it entirely, and the two did fight, but they always worked things out." Peppy finished. "Now, with Krystal, it's obviously different. She's a pilot, and a good one. She want's to protect you. She would follow you into hell, Fox. As would your entire team."

The more Fox thought about that, the more he felt awed at having earned such loyalty.

"The only thing I will worn you about is that you must not be irrational. Don't throw your life around recklessly out there. You are living for two now. Your father understood that. And I truly believe that if it weren't for...for Pigma, he would have lived till retirement."

"There are somethings we can't control," Fox whispered.

"Yes. Which is why you must be ready. And you need to think about where you want to go with this relationship, Fox."

Fox felt words travel up his soul and into his mouth.

"I want to be with her forever," he murmured.

Peppy smiled. "Then think, Fox. Just...be careful.

The thing Fox had been thinking about all day finally surfaced.

"Peppy," he asked, "what about...what about retirement?"

Peppy's eyes grew wide. "Fox...are you considering it?"

He nodded.

"That...that is a decision not to take lightly. Do plenty of soul searching. Don't be afraid to talk to Krystal about this. You are blessed to be in a situation where money is no object. The earnings from the team are sizable, and your father left you a large inheritance. You would live comfortably, as long as you are responsible. Which I know you are. But above all else, include her in that decision, should you make it."

Fox nodded. He gave Peppy a wistful look. "What should I do, Pepp? What do you think? What would you do in my shoes?"

Peppy grew quiet, then answered. "I would retire. But I'm biased, Fox. I'm already here. In the end, this is a decision only you can make. Just don't make it lightly. Do right by Krystal, you hear?"

Fox smiled warmly at the man he called his second father. "Thanks, Peppy. Tell Lucy I said hi."

The hare smiled in return. "I will, Fox. Peppy out."

And with that, the small hologram disappeared.

Again, Fox stared at the ceiling. Retirement. Such an odd concept. Thought to be distant, but perhaps closer than he thought.

His musings were stopped by a knocking on his door. Getting up, he walked over and opened the door to behold the familiar sight of a blue vixen that made him smile.

"Couldn't sleep either?" He asked.

Krystal chuckled. "I had a feeling you couldn't sleep as well, so I thought I would pay you visit."

Fox let her in, and they both sat on the bed. Krystal interlocked her hand in his, and Fox gave it a squeeze. Krystal sighed happily and leaned against him.

"I'm so happy that we confessed to each other," Krystal murmured.

"Yeah," Fox murmured back honestly, "I can't believe it, almost."

"Really?"

"Well, when the girl of your dreams loves you back, it feels like...well, a dream."

"Hmmm," Krystal hummed, nuzzling his shoulder. "I can't believe it either."

For a time, they sat in silence, like earlier in the day. Then, Krystal softly spoke up.

"Where do we go from here?" she asked, peacefully.

Fox thought for a moment, before kissing her on the forehead. "Well," he began, "All I know is that I want to move forward together. I'm...well, it's been a while since I've been in a relationship. Actually, you might be the woman I've been the closets to in a while. So...I hope you can be patient with me. We'll figure things out."

"Fox, I waited some months for you to finally confess to me. I can be patient with you," she replied, giggling. "Why did it take you so long? You can be honest. I won't be mad."

Fox shifted shyly. "Well, I was worried at first that all that teasing was just how you normally showed affection. I was afraid that that bringing up the topic of love might damage out already solid relationship. But when it was apparent that you were treating me differently, I...well, I was very happy. Throughout the Aperoid War I kept on thinking about you, about mustering a way to tell you how I felt. Then the accident happened, and, well..."

"Here we are," Krystal finished for him. Her warm breathing against his neck sent shivers done his spine. " Like I said before, I always knew you liked me, Fox. I also knew you were shy, and, well, I knew that I might have to give you some time. You came around though, if accidently."

His ears drooped. "A lousy way to do it."

Before he could even drink up the guilt he was feeling, Krystal wrapped him in a warm hug and squeezed him tightly. "Stop it. What happened, happened. All that matters is that we are here right now, together, with our feelings out. And I couldn't be happier, Fox."

Returning the hug, Fox let loose a small, but genuine smile. "I couldn't be happier too," he whispered lovingly.

It was in the heat of the moment that Fox whispered his next words into her ears.

"I want to be with you forever..."

Krystal slowly drew back, an expression of shock on her face. Before Fox could worry, Krystal looked back at him with such an adoring gaze that he could feel his heart melt. She cupped he face and drew him in, as was her way, and the two were enthralled in a kiss.

Passion. Filled with a great joy in the moment, Fox deepened the kiss more than he ever had done before, and Krystal was more than happy to receive him. He gently eased her down onto the bed, stroking her shoulders, and she having her hands wondering around his chest. It felt as though his hands were meant to touch her always, and it felt as though her hands were meant to caress his fur for eternity.

Fox thought that perhaps they might be moving a little fast, and began to slowly draw away, and Krystal's final move was a gentle suck on his bottom lip. He sat there on top of her, feeling her panting breath on his face, and she gave him a look glowing with love. She sighed in passion, and he did too.

"That'll do, Fox," she whispered, smiling warmly at him.

Fox got off of her, and lay down next to her. He began to play with her silky hair, threading it through his fingers. Thoughts of their future, of living together, floated gently in his mind.

Thoughts of retirement.

"Krystal?" Fox asked, now wanting to let his thoughts be known.

"Hmm?" she hummed in reply. "What is it?"

"You know that thing I've been thinking of? That I wanted to keep private? Well...now, I want to tell you about it."

Sitting up, Krystal gave him an interested look. "Yes?" she urged.

"I've been wondering about retirement, now."

Krystal just looked at him. Fearing an outburst, he quickly explained. "Not for you. For me. This is still not a developed thought, but I'm just thinking of this as an alternative. With us being like this, there might come a time where I may not feel comfortable doing this anymore, and I need to consider my options. Yes, I know the team doesn't mind, but...well I talked to Peppy before you came in, and he urged me to think about this. And I am."

Krystal just kept looking at him. Now sounding a mite meeker, he continued. "I'm just worried about us and the team, Krystal. I don't...I don't want the team to turn against you because this relationship could disrupt things. I love you and I want you to be happier. And I would rather step down before I let you be ostracized. And I will never ask you to leave this team, this home. I'm just...I'm just thinking of the future..." he finished, giving her a shy look.

To his greatest relief Krystal's bare gaze morphed into a mirthful one. She began to giggle and shake her head, and at seeing Fox's dumbfounded expression, she began to giggle harder. When she saw that he was looking a little hurt, she calmed down.

"Fox," she began gently, "you may be the only boyfriend, or maybe the only being in this universe, whose flaw is being too selfless."

His ear's laid back. "Well, I just worry about you. Like I said before, I'm not kicking you off the team. I would rather forgo my spot if it meant you still being able to stay."

"And that doesn't surprise me in the least," she answered. She petted Fox on the head. "Don't worry about that, Fox. The others are fine. They're our friends, and they understand. They know I'm no burden to this team. You don't have to do this. And besides, I'd never let you leave without me."

Fox shook his head. "I'm still thinking about it. But I still have plenty of thinking to do, before I make any decision."

Krystal sighed and gave him a half exasperated, half loving gaze. "I knew going into this relationship that you would be like this. It still surprises me. "

"Well, then I'm full of surprises," he offered cheekily.

The vixen lighty tapped him on the cheek. "Down, boy," she playfully commanded. She gave him one last worried look. "Just…don't make that decision in a rush, Fox."

He nodded, and continued to play with her hair, and she began to stroke his hand with a peaceful smile.

Fox was about to start talking about something else, when the telltale beeps of ROB trying to contact him over the comm system sounded off in the room. Sighing, he answered it.

"Yes, ROB?"

"A vessel is hailing us, wishing to board, Fox."

Fox's ears twitched. "Large vessel, or personal craft?"

"Personal craft, Fox."

He looked to Krystal, who gave him a curious gaze. "Do we know it?"

"Affirmative. It is the _Cat's Paw_."

Now that surprised him. And Krystal, if her arched eyebrows were any indication.

"Katt?" he whispered.

Through out the walk to the hanger Krystal thought only of Katt. What could drive her to come to them at this time? While Katt was a friend of the team—and a dear friend to her and Falco—Katt tended to work alone outside of the occasional team-up. And even then, she would show up announced.

So for her to come to the Great Fox out of the blue was extremely unusual. So unusual that she fretted about her the whole way to the hanger door.

Once she walked in she saw that Katt had already landed, and the canopy of the _Cat's Paw_ was already popped open. Katt jumped off her craft, donned in her purple flight suit and wearing a particularly thoughtful expression. She noticed her and Fox walking towards her, and she gave them a small smile.

With her empathetic abilities, she could detect an alarming amount of nervousness from the feline. Anxiousness as well.

"Hey guys," said the pink feline. "Long time no see. How've ya both been?" Krystal could tell that she was trying to sound like her jovial self, but it just wasn't coming through.

"Fine," Fox answered. She answered back with the same.

"Good," Katt replied. She shifted her weight back and forth on her feet. "Well...is Falco here?"

"Yes," Krystal answered, but because she was so disturbed by Katt's uncharacteristic behavior, she asked, "Katt, what's wrong? You look…off."

She only felt worse when Katt looked surprised at the question. She chuckled and rubbed the back of her head nervously. "Who, me? Naw, I'm...well..."

Katt shook her head, and looked up at Fox with a grave expression. The gravest Krystal had ever seen on her. "Okay, I just need to spill this out, this is getting stupidly awkward. Foxie, I want to join the team."

She nearly fell over at that. And if that massive spike of surprise coming from Fox was any indication he had been closer to doing so than she.

"W-what?" Fox sputtered out. "K-Katt, where did that come from?"

Katt laid her ears back. Seeing her this vulnerable looking was incredibly disconcerting. "Is it...that much of shock?"

Fox walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, you usually opt to work alone, so it is. Not that you wouldn't be a good member of the team, but it's just that this came out of nowhere, Katt. What happened?"

Katt looked down and bit her lip. Krystal felt something radiating from her, and she had a hunch.

"Falco?" she asked.

Katt jumped a little, then looked at her. "Yes, yes it does have to do with a certain blue featherbrain. And before you ask Fox, no, he didn't say anything to me. We're on good terms. I just...I just have something I need to do."

"How does joining the team relate to that?" asked Fox.

"That's private," said the pink feline.

Fox looked at Krystal, and she shrugged at him. She knew that Katt probably would claw her to pieces if she looked into her mind. She could still feel all the anxiousness Katt still had, but that didn't tell her anything about why Katt suddenly wanted to join the team.

"Now if you excuse me," Katt continued, "I have a blue bird to wake up."

"He won't be too happy about that," Fox muttered.

"He'll be mad for all of five seconds," Katt called back, walking through the hanger doors.

Krystal casted a quick glance to Fox, and he nodded. She nodded back. With that, they began to follow Katt along the way to the pilot's quarters. They caught up to her just as she began to knock on Falco's door. When there was no reply, Katt knocked again. Harder

"I swear to you, Fox!" came the tired and angry voice of one Falco Lombardi, "If this isn't something important I will blow up your Arwing! And I will find a way!"

It was comical how quickly his face changed from irritation to bafflement upon seeing Katt standing infront of his doorway. Krystal took a mental picture.

"K-Katt?" Falco stuttred. It was all he got out before Katt grabbed his arm and dragged him into his room, and shut the door behind them. They heard a locking sound afterword.

Some painfully awkward seconds followed.

"Are they-" Fox started.

"No," Krystal answered. "Trust me, I would have felt it. I haven't the faintest idea what's going on in there."

Fox sighed and rubbed the bridge of his noise. "Well...I don't want to sit here and eavesdrop."

Krystal nodded. "And neither do I."

So with little else to do, they began to walk back to their respective rooms. However Krystal didn't feel so sure about sleeping alone that night anymore, and although Fox might be startled...

She walked over and gently took Fox's hand before he walked through his doorway. He looked back at her, startled, but welcoming of the contact.

"Yes, Krystal?"

She blushed slightly, and then looked at him with a gentle smile. "May I...stay with you tonight, Fox?"

She was surprised to see her vulpine not begin to sputter, but only blush and smile back bashfully.

"Of course, Krystal."

That night, they slept in each other's arms, with Krystal lulled to asleep by the wonderful sound of her beloved's heartbeat.


	3. Chapter 3

This story is back! Time to devote myself full-time to it, and boy am I happy.

This is one of the fluffier pieces of my writing. Next to Pampering. People seem to like that oneshot, so I kept that in mind. Just be wary; suger and sap may start leaking from your computer screen as you read this. I mean, I already destroyed whitefur's computer when he beta'd it, so there you go. By the way, shout out to him and his help with this chapter! He helped me with the Valentine's day oneshot as well, and I'm sorry I forgot to credit him there. He's a great guy and a good writer. You should read his stuff. Like right now, after you read this.

As always, please read and review! God bless, and have a safe night.

Also, I do not own Star Fox. I is the most sadness.

* * *

Chapter III: Tender sort of Talking

The clinking of glasses and the sound of smooth jazz filled Krystal's ears as she sat next to Fox in the hole-in-the-wall bar in Corneria City the team frequented whenever they had downtime. As they were currently on hiatus, what better time then to go now? And things were even more lively than usual, since Katt was there, sitting next to Falco and sipping on a glass of Kahlua.

"Foxy, I know you said you would be the designated driver, but you gotta have at least one!" Falco protested, pointing at the vulpine.

"I told you, I'm fine. I'd rather just watch the rest of you make fools of yourselves," Fox answered, smirking.

"Such a good boy," Krystal spoke teasingly, stroking behind Fox's left ear. When he sighed gently and felt his tail wagging she grinned. "Always looking out for everyone."

"We'll just make him chug once we get back to the Great Fox. It would be a shame if even one of us ended this night sober," Katt chimed, giving Fox a predatory look.

"I had better not be the only one here, besides Krystal, that goes home not completely smashed. I have to drive the shuttle back up to the Great Fox, and I am not doing it with three other people planing shenanigans behind me. While drunk," Fox grumbled. He took a sip of his water.

Krystal wasn't twenty-one yet, so she had to be merciful and be on the sober side of things tonight. Thankfully, she didn't need to be drunk to tease Foxy. He already wilted after merely a scratch behind the ear.

"Don't have to worry about me, Fox," quipped Slippy, sitting on the other side of Falco. "After this one, I'm done." He pointed to his second glass of tap beer.

"Famous last words, Slipp," Falco muttered, grinning evily.

"That night is still fresh in my mind, Falco. I will hit you," Slippy warned.

"Now there's something Falco has alluded too when he talks about you Slippy," Katt began, "I have to ask, what happened?"

"Well," Falco started.

"THAT IS NOT HAPPENING!" Slippy yelled. The other's laughed.

Krystal was amazed at how smooth the last two days had been. Katt had settled in quite well with the team, and was currently staying in the room that used to be Peppy's. It felt nice to have another girl to talk to, even if Krystal had felt comfortable before hand. The two of them were already friends, so she already figured things would be fine.

How Katt came to stay was still mysterious. The morning after Katt had gone into Falco's room, Fox told Krystal that the two of them had approached him and told him that not only was Katt wishing to join, but that she also was planing to take her relationship with Falco much more seriously. Falco shared the sentiment. The only thing that Falco told him was that he had got a different perspective on his relationship with the pink feline.

Whatever had happened, Falco and Katt were seemingly closer. And Katt had been welcomed with open arms into their little misfit family. And so here they were.

"You oughta get your girl to come to one of these fine nights Slipp," said Falco. "It's practically couples night right now and you're not getting in on it."

"That's because you would scare her off," Slippy grumbled.

"I'm not that bad," said Falco. "Come on, Katt, you can vouch for me, right?"

Katt merely gave him a playful look. "And whatever do you mean by that, Falco? I've heard legends of your lady-killing ways. Aren't I fortunate that I have a leash on you?"

Krystal knew that in any other time before Katt came along, Falco would have gotten hot-and-bothered about such a remark. Now though, he merely gave the pink feline a wink. "You're lucky you can handle me, you know that? I'm not like Fox over here who lives to be under the finger of a certain someone," he said.

"At least I'm not a headache to take care of," said Fox, smirking slightly. Krystal couldn't help but widen her eyes and giggle into her hand. He was getting a little bolder, wasn't he?

"Oh, now you decide to grow a pair concerning your relationship?" answered Falco.

"Oh, lay off, Falco," said Slippy.

"Alright alright," said Falco. "Seriously though, it does me good to see my bro Foxy over her growing up."

And indeed, Krystal could tell that the sentiment was entirely genuine.

"And I'm thankful for it," Fox replied warmly. He gave Krystal a quick glance. She smiled back.

"Once again, Fox," said Katt, "Thank you so much for letting me come along on your little adventures. I know it was so sudden, so it means a lot."

"No problem," Fox answered. "You're a friend, it's okay."

Krystal reached over and scratched Fox behind the ear again. Those little sounds he made were a joy.

* * *

The team made it back to the Great Fox later in the night, and though tired, Krystal was excited for what would happen next. Once Katt, Falco, and Slippy returned to their rooms for the night, she asked Fox if he'd like to talk for a while. Nothing serious. Krystal found that now that they were an item, she had an urge to have him all for herself. A little selfish, sure. Something that needed to be checked now and then. But for tonight she would indulge. Foxy-Woxy would be hers for the night, and she was going to be playful about it.

Standing by the doorway of her quarters, Krystal could sense that certain vulpine walking down the hall toward his room. Fox had just eaten a late snack, and he probably thought she was waiting in his room. But now was a night for some lighthearted trickery.

"Annnnnd..." Krystal whispered, smiling. As soon as Fox was passing by her door she opened it quickly and yanked him into her room. Fox gave out a small yelp, and she delighted in seeing his hair all puffed up. Now he was fuzzier than usual, which made a fuzzier difference when she embraced him.

"Krystal!" he said, after taking a breath. "What was that for?"

"I never specified which room I wanted to meet you in, now did I?" Krystal answered, smiling cutely. "Come now Fox, I just wanted to have a little fun."

Fox's fur went back to normal, and he sighed and smiled at her. "You didn't, huh? You're always going to be this unpredictable, hm?

"Only when I want to," Krystal answered. She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. "But thank you for wanting to be with me tonight. I love it when we're alone like this," she said.

"I do to," Fox replied, nuzzling into the space between her ears. She sighed in pleasure.

Krystal drew away slowly. "Now then," she began, "wait on the bed, I'm going to get into something comfortable for tonight. I can see you have already." She eyed the t-shirt and soft pajama pants he was wearing.

Those ears of his erupted in red, and she giggled when she caught a glimpse of what he was thinking. Well, wasn't he lucky she actually had some lace in her wardrobe? That would come later on of course, but what she had in mind would still make him stutter.

"Naughty naughty, Fox," she said, playfully admonishing him. Fox smiled sheepishly, though he did look a little guilty. She gave him another warm hug. "I'll be right back."

She walked off to her bathroom, decorated with scented candles, where on the counter lay a lovely white nightrobe of a wonderfully plush material. Undressing, she took off everything except her panties. Going naked under that robe would drive Fox crazy, and the most she wanted to do now was have a nice time with him without him becoming too inarticulate. But the robe hugged her form slightly enough that she would still tease him a little.

Fox was immediately stunned when he saw her, and he smiled that cute little smile of his.

"You look beautiful," he said, his eyes shining. Krystal blushed, and smiled demurely. Oh, the way he talked about her always made her heart flutter. She walked around the bed and sat beside him. Petting his cheek and leaning against him, she heard Fox begin to purr.

"Tonight was great, wasn't it?" Krystal asked.

He nodded. "It's nice when we can all go out like that. And it's even better knowing that Katt has acclimated well to the team. It's like she's always been here," he said.

"It sure does feel like that. Katt always did find her way into some of our missions in the past," Krystal replied.

"Yeah. I always thought it was because Katt liked being around Falco. Considering what's happened..." Fox trailed off, with a wry grin.

"Now look at you, commenting on love," Krystal said, bemused. She looked at him through her eyelashes. "Are we...growing confident, hn?"

Fox's ears lit up. "Well...I think that anyone could see it," he answered meekly. "And that's what everyone said about us."

"True," said Krystal, muzzling into Fox's neck fur.

A moment of comfortable silence came into the room.

"I'm sorry you had to wait so long," Fox whispered, giving her a doughy-eyed look. He licked her cheek, and she sighed.

"Oh, Fox." She answered, giving him a lick in reply. A slow smile grew on her muzzle as an idea entered her head. "Lay down."

Blushing a little Fox did so. She scooted to where the pillows where and moved them aside. Then she gently took Fox's head and laid it in her lap, and began to play with his ears. And that bashful look she received from her vulpine made her whole day.

"You're too adorable, you know that?" she said, fondling him and getting a purr out of him.

"As you always tell me," he replied, sighing. Little moans escaped his mouth.

"That must be why you're so popular with the fairer sex," she commented, now beginning to fondle his cheek fluff. "You're such a dear," she cooed.

Fox eyes were slightly hooded. "Falco always told me that a lot of the fanmail I got from woman during my earlier days was from some girls older than me. I never believed him, never bothered to check. It didn't seem right. But apparently a lot of them wanted to take care of me...ah..."

"I'm not surprised," Krystal crooned, tickling his chin. "My Foxy does love to be spoiled, doesn't he?"

Fox's right leg began to kick, and she giggled. With any other woman, Krystal knew, this would have made him uncomfortable at best. But with her, he was on Cloud Nine, absolutely in bliss.

"I..I do," he said shyly.

It seemed so silly that a man older than her could be so quickly enraptured by her touch. But didn't this go both ways, after all? Krystal adored all the times Fox held her and touched her. They just couldn't help themselves, sometimes.

Plus, it was love. Just being together like this.

Fox's affectionate whimpering filled the room. She leaned her head down and licked his noise. Her adoring smile lit up her face, reflected in Fox's brilliant green eyes. She always got lost in those eyes. And he in hers.

"Awww, Foxy," she whispered.

In a move that surprised her, Fox turned his head and snuggled further into her lap. It was a bold move, one she didn't expect. "Yes?" he said, his voice soft.

"This is a new side of you," she said. "One I'm so glad to find."

"...I like being pet," Fox said shyly, looking up at her. Goodness, he looked so vulnerable and cute.

"That makes too of us," she replied, and she gasped when she felt Fox's paw raise and begin to stroke her cheek. She held it in her hand.

"We're hopeless," she said, just shaking her head.

"I know, right?" Fox replied, a silly smile on his muzzle.

A sleepy sigh escaped Fox's maw, and Krystal yawned. Her eyelids were getting heavy.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Hmmm...yes," she answered.

"Then let's get comfortable," said Fox. In a motion that delighted her, he sat up, moved the covers of her bed, and laid down; promptly he bid her to lay down with him, and immediately cuddled her to his chest. She giggled, nuzzling him, before scowling at his white shirt.

It's like he didn't need telling, as Fox shortly removed the offending garment and cuddled her close again. This time Krystal was at liberty to bury herself in her Fox's chest fur, sighing as she tried to get as close to him as possible.

"Good night, Krys. Love you" he said lovingly, drifting off to sleep.

Smiling, she replied. "Good night, Fox. Love you too."

* * *

Krystal awoke slowly to the sounds of Fox's heartbeat and breathing, the two sounds having combined into the greatest lullaby in Lylat during the night, and now were the finest alarm clock as well. She opened her eyes, and shivered at the sensation of Fox's arms around her. She not only felt safe; she felt at home.

She looked up, still slightly buried in his chest fur-she imagined how it must have been like for him when she had him to her bosom-and looked at the sleeping face of her loved one. Gentle sighs escaped from that button nose of his, and his ears twitched as he slept. He was peaceful, and probably as warm as she was.

There really never was a cuter sleeper than him, she thought, giggling quietly.

She had a playful idea come to her then. She quietly wriggled up to be face-to-face with him, nose to nose, and blew on his right ear. Twitch. She did it again. Twitch twitch. Again. Twitch twitch twitch. By now she was having a hard time giggling quietly, and it was after she blew again that Fox's eyes opened. Those green eyes of his were mixed with mirth.

"Are we having fun?" Fox asked sleepily, rubbing her nose with hers.

"Maybe," she replied coyly.

"I'm glad to hear it," said Fox.

A moment past, with the two of them being lost with the other.

"I know I need to get up and check some things around the ship, but..." Fox started, slowly beginning to grin, "I really don't want to get out of your bed."

"Then don't," Krystal whispered.

"Would you stop me if I did?" asked Fox playfully.

She tightened her hold around him and grinned back. "Does that answer your question?" she asked.

"Sort of," Fox replied, nuzzling her cheek.

"Hey," he said again, after another moment, "Do you...would you like to go on a date sometime?"

Krystal chortled. "I think we're past the point of asking each other for permission to hang out, Fox," she said. After all, they were in a bed together.

"I know," Fox replied, "but your first date after you've confessed to someone is supposed to be special, right?" She heard his tail begin to wag.

"Well, yes," replied Krystal, getting excited.

"How's about we get together sometime tomorrow? I'll need to plan, but I'm sure I can figure something out. Something special, just for us two," said Fox, smiling earnestly. She could feel how giddy he was. So precious.

"Hmmm," she hummed. "Spending some quality time with you. Well Fox, I would have to say that...would be wonderful," she replied, giving his nose a lick.

And with that, they decided to simply stay in bed with each other a while longer, soaking up all the warmth and love in the air. And Krystal couldn't be happier.

* * *

And so the rest of the day went on once they got up a hour later. It tortured Krystal to not know what he was planing, but she supposed that was the price to pay; Fox wanted her to be surprised. Throughout the day she teased around with his mind, poking and prodding his brain and occasionally planting a salacious image here and there to get his blood flowing, but she never spoiled the surprise. As much as she was antsy, she wouldn't dare ruin Fox's giddy mood.

Thankfully, the day went by quickly. Time in simulators was spent, and clearly she and Fox were getting better and better. As was everyone. The highlight of training had to be when she and Fox and a "couples match" with Falco and Katt. Despite how it started in good humor it quickly became fiercely competitive. She and Fox barely pulled ahead with winning the most matches overall. Fox rubbed it in, and while Katt was somewhat of a good sport, Falco clearly was agitated. Slippy didn't help, with him claiming that, "of all the flavors out there, Falco chose to be salty."

Evening cycle came, and Krystal headed over to Katt's room to talk for a bit.

"Ya know, I'm adjusting to piloting with a group a lot faster than I thought," Katt noted, getting dressed for the evening with Krystal sitting on her bed. "Funny how that's happening."

"What was it like, flying alone?" Krystal asked.

"Sometimes lonely, sometimes liberating. You make your own schedule. But you also have to be pretty good to survive out there on your own," the feline replied.

"How do you feel now?" Krystal asked.

"Pretty good, actually! It would be different if I was flying with a group I didn't know. But heck, I've helped this crew here and there for some time now, so it doesn't feel weird at all. Falco being around is nice, and it's fun to get to know Fox and Slippy more. You too of course, Blueness," said Katt, grinning.

Krystal sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ah, that nickname. As lame as it sounds, Falco is sticking to it."

"I mean, it's better than your official moniker: the mascot of Star Fo-Ha!" Katt laughed, dodging a pillow aimed at her head.

* * *

And so the day of the date came, and Fox was quick to tell Krystal in the morning that they would be leaving at around 4:00 PM.

"That early? I thought it would be at night." She asked.

"Yup. It's going to be warm out today, not terribly so, just right. So wear something nice for the weather. We'll take our shuttle down to the surface." said Fox.

Her curiosity was going crazy by now, but she figured that was a good thing. She tried to keep herself busy until the appointed time, reading and training in the simulators and whatever else she could find. Finally, once the hour was thirty minutes away, she settled in her room to get ready.

For a dress, Krystal already knew what she wanted. Reaching into her closet she pulled out the lovely blue sundress Fox had given her for her twentieth birthday. Once she dressed herself, she attended to makeup, and once that was finished, she walked out into the hanger to find Fox waiting for her. She smiled upon seeing his clothes. Khaki shorts and a nice dress shirt. He was well groomed, and dashing.

To her joy, once Fox looked at her his face lit up with red and happiness. He walked over to her and took her hand.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Of course," she whispered, moving in to nuzzled him.

The trip in the shuttle to the surface left Krystal even antsier, once she realized they weren't headed to Corneria City.

"Fox, where are we going?" she asked.

"A surprise," he said simply. She poked his mind coyly, and he chuckled.

Her feelings of curiosity bloomed into excitement once she saw where they were headed. They were moving to the coast of the continent where Corneria City was located, at a long strip of beautiful looking beach that she had never seen before. Fox sat the shuttle down easily, while she marveled at the picture-perfect scene right out her window.

"Fox, what is this place?" she said with a smile.

"Just a spot my parents would take me when I was younger. A nice secluded spot for the two of us," he answered.

"And how are you going to pull the "dinner" part of a date out of this?" she asked, batting her eyes at him.

"I have my ways," said Fox coyly, before blushing again. "What do you think?"

"I'm already excited," said Krystal. Now they really had some time to themselves.

Once they disembarked from the shuttle Krystal saw the full expanse of the beautiful beach. The sand was incredibly soft beneath her paws, and the perfect blue sky framed with palm trees and the whisper of the waves made the scene heavenly.

"Let's go for a walk, Krys," said Fox, extending his hand. She did him better and gently grabbed his arm, and leaned in close.

And so they began to stroll. The quietness of the world around them begged for sweet conversation.

"You would think of something like this," said Krystal fondly, sighing.

"I figured you would like something a little different. And you do like the beach," replied Fox, giving her a little nuzzle.

"Beaches are beautiful and a lovely place to have fun. And dress up in swim suits and make you stutter," she replied.

She felt his ears get hot. "Yeah, they are," he replied. In a bold move he continued. "...you look good in a bikini, you know."

She was immensely proud of him. "Like that purple number I ran by you a month ago?" she pressed, rustling up close. The memory of it flew through Fox's mind, she saw.

"Especially that one," he said shyly

"It's great to see you getting bolder, Foxy-Woxy," she said, the heat radiating from him getting hotter at the mention of his pet name.

"I have to start somewhere, right?" Fox said mirthfully.

"Never get too bold though," she mentioned coyly. "You're too cute when you're flustered."

A small bit of silence fell between them, and then it was broken.

"It's funny how this all started," said Fox.

"Hm?" hummed Krystal.

"Us," Fox explained. "You and me. It's like something out of a sci-fi novel. Me saving you on a mysterious planet and then we hit it off. And it turns out you're a great pilot and we keep going on adventures. It's so...so crazy," Fox finished. She saw he was smiling.

"I'm not complaining," she said. "You finding me saved my life in more ways then one."

Fox looked at her, an ear twitching.

"True, you saved me from that crystal on Sauria, but what would have happened if no one had found me? Even if I hadn't been captured, what would wondering alone be like?" she asked. Some terrible images and thoughts entered her head. All of which where destroyed when Fox loosened his arm from her hold and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"And that didn't happen. I found you and you're happy. That's what matters," he said resolutely.

She nuzzled his neck. "Too true."

Suddenly Fox's mood dampened a bit. "And of course the way I told you my feelings happened the way it did, considering me."

She pulled back and looked at him, concerned. "Don't feel down about that, Fox. It all worked out."

"But I made you upset, right?" pressed Fox.

"At first, and mostly because you tried to lie to me. Which I've forgiven you for," she added, seeing his ears droop but thankfully rise again. "Fox, I was more concerned about you. Something was bothering you and I was worried. And all of that happened because you were worried yourself, pure and simple."

"Really?" Fox asked, his tail wagging tepidly.

She chuckled. "I'm not going to blow up on you because you're worried about me. Especially following a close call. I've thought of pulling you aside myself sometimes whenever you got into a tough spot, even."

Fox mood brightened. "Thank you for understanding, though I wish I could have told you another way."

"Oh, I enjoyed the way it happened," said Krystal, letting a mischievous grin adorn her muzzle. "Fox, you looked mortified after you told me. Like a school boy telling his crush that he likes her. And it was absolutely adorable."

Fox's ears dipped again, but this time out of affection. "And that kiss was something else."

"There is plenty more where that came from, Fox," she replied, kissing him on the cheek.

They walked for some time more before Krystal spotted a craft further up the beach. Some people were walking around some pieces of machinery, powered by a portable generator. Upon closer inspection, Krystal's jaw dropped.

"Fox...are those...are those chefs!?" she cried.

"From one of Corneria's best restaurants, cooking at a portable kitchen? I do think they are, my dear Krystal," said Fox, sounding surprisingly sauve. She could tell he was absolutely giddy at her shock.

Krystal remained stupefied as they walked to the small table the chefs had prepared for them. One of them winked at Fox, and he winked back. A menu was brought to them, and a vixenly look found it's way to Krystal's face.

"Oh, you are good," she growled. She saw Fox shiver in pleasure at the tone. "Be ready for later."

"Hm?" Fox asked.

Be ready, my Foxy-Woxy, she repeated flirtatiously into his head.

The menu was packed with delights. All sorts of fish prepared in all sorts of ways. Krystal found it hard to contain all the saliva in her mouth. It was hard enough to stop bouncing in her seat. But before long they settled on their meal and choice of wine.

"How did you put this together?" Krystal asked before taking a sip of red wine.

"I know some friends who own a fine restaurant. They were more than happy to help me," said Fox.

"Here I was thinking that you were going to go with the boring 'dinner and a show' treatment," said Krystal playfully.

"Well, I did, just with a spin," answered Fox, smiling.

Krystal's tail wagged.

Their food came, piping hot and filled with delightful aroma. Krystal had settled on the mahi-mahi, a fish she'd found to be her favorite of all Lylatian cuisine. Fox went for the salmon, no less delicious looking then her dish. A side of calamari was brought for them both. Krystal found herself lost in the taste of her food and the happiness of the date. She could see Fox's tail wagging wildly.

They ate in peace, talking about a multitude of things. Krystal couldn't think of a more romantic time the two of them had ever shared. Despite that earlier comment, Krystal would have been fine with a typical night out to dinner, but Fox had gone above and beyond. And what's more, he looked so happy.

To add to the scene, the sun had begun to set on their dinner, bathing them in a golden glow that made Fox's fur shine with beauty.

"Did you plan this, having the sun set right now? Just to be so overly romantic?" Krystal asked playfully, waggling her eyebrows.

"I know people who operate Solar's orbit, you know," Fox answered, grinning. They shared a laugh at that.

After about an hour later, dinner was over, and the sun was beginning to touch the horizon on the ocean.

"Wanna walk for a bit more?" Fox asked

"Of course," she answered.

So they did, padding along the soft sand arm in arm and hopelessly happy.

"What did you think of the food?" asked Fox.

"It was wonderful. I've never had finer fish," she answered truthfully.

"Great, and I say the same thing. It doesn't get much better than that," her Foxy replied, nuzzling into her cheek.

They walked in silence for a small moment.

"Fox?" asked Krystal gently.

"Hm?" said Fox.

"Remember what you said two nights ago? About wanting to be with me forever?" she asked, looking up to him. Fox returned her gaze with one of his heart-meltingly cute looks.

"Of course," he whispered.

Giving him a look of earnest affection, she pressed him. "You really mean that?"

Fox blushed hard, and his ears glowed. He looked meek, vulnerable, with his tail wrapping around his leg slightly. But then he mustered a small smile imbued with so much warmth and love.

"...yes." he whispered.

It was such a simple response, but just from the way he said it, Krystal's heart tumbled and turned in her chest and her legs went weak.

She knew they would run into hiccups, she wasn't that naive. Any relationship did. But at that moment, Krystal began to feel, more than ever, that something was just right between the two of them. That this choice had been the rightest one.

She purred softly, and nuzzled into his neck.

Before long, they began to walk back to the shuttle, Krystal's grin growing bigger and bigger as they got closer. It wasn't until they actually walked inside the craft that Fox's curiosity got to him.

"All right, what were you talking about back there?" said Fox playfully. "What-"

He never got a chance to finish, as Krystal practically jumped him and began to kiss him so hard that she could feel Fox nearly faint from shock.


	4. Chapter 4

I have some explaining to do.

So, why did this take so long? Two things. One, lot's of college work, exams, coming back home for the summer and getting a job, and summer online courses. However, the second thing is that the original draft of this chapter was **HUGE**. And way to unfocused. Thanks to one general whitefurur, this chapter ended up the way it is now, nice and focused. So I extend a great thanks to him. He's a friend, a good writer, and a crazy Krystal lover who's ardent admiration for that blue magical space vixen is exceeded by mine own.

He probably disagrees. He needs to git gud.

I also want to extend a thank you to all my readers and reviewers. I'm glad you have fun with this couple as much as I do! Hearing about all the warm and fuzzies you all get makes me sincerely happy. If I can make people happy with my writing, then I'm doing my job. At the very least, you all are feeling something.

So thank you. Please read and review, God bless, and have a good night!

* * *

And I'll Walk With You Chapter IV: Changes

A few days after that wonderful date, Fox decided to take the team off hiatus. He was worried that the break may have dampened their skills, even with their time in the simulators. But to Fox's surprise the team never looked better. They squashed pirate forces with ease, took care of escort jobs safely, and Katt's new status as a member only helped the team dynamic. In fact, the close bonds formed over the break seemed to have made them all stronger. Before long, ironically, the team found themselves in another break, this time caused by the general lack of action. Thank goodness for backup funds.

Fox currently found himself in Krystal's room in the evening, with her head in his lap, and stroking her hair. The vixen was reading. The whole room was filled with calm, not just caused by all the scented candles in the vixen's room.

Fox sighed, smiling.

"It is comfortable, isn't it?" Krystal said.

While scratching her chin, Fox nodded. Krystal's purring filled the room.

Another moment of silence passed.

"Hey Krys?" Fox said.

"Yes, Fox?" Krystal replied.

"I'm happy," the vulpine said simply.

Krystal snuggling further into his lap was the answer.

* * *

Three days later, in the middle of reading in the lounge, Fox recieved a call on his wristcom. It was Slippy, and he wanted to meet with Fox in his room.

The moment Fox walked into his friends quarters, which were impeccably neat as usual, he knew something was wrong. Slippy would usually happily greet him whenever he came to visit, but he didn't do that now. Instead the frog was sitting on the bed, looking over at him. His face was...pensive, Fox thought. It wasn't that Slippy wasn't a thoughtful person, but to see his friend look so lost in thought told him that whatever he wanted to talk about was serious.

"What's going on, Slipp?" Fox said, sitting in the bed next to him. "You don't look so hot."

"Nothings...wrong, Fox," said Slippy. His tone only made Fox worry more. "It's just...I have something important to tell you."

"Go on," Fox said easily. He put a hand on Slippy's shoulder. "I'm your friend, you can tell me anything you need to get off your chest."

Slippy looked at him for a long moment, and he still looked hesitant. But finally, he spoke.

"I proposed to Amanda, Fox," Slippy said, "And she said yes."

Fox about fell over. Shock was the first feeling, next was relief at the lack of bad news, and finally there was joy.

"Slippy!" Fox cried, bringing his friend into a hug. "Slippy, that's awesome! Oh, man, I'm so happy for you!"

It sounded great to hear Slippy laugh, considering the previous atmosphere. "Aw, shucks, Fox! You're squeezing to hard!"

Fox let him go. "Seriously, though," he said. "Congratulations, that's great news."

Slippy chuckled again, than looked at Fox with a serious expression. "There's something else I need to tell you though, Fox. And this is what is making me uneasy right now."

The moodswing of the moment caught Fox off guard. "What is it?" he asked, reeling a little.

Slippy took a deep breath. "Fox...because I'm moving on into the next stage of my life...I'm going to be leaving Star Fox now. In fact, I'm planing to leave tomorrow to go with Amanda to Aquas. I have plans I need to think about, and talk about with her."

He should have expected that. Truly. Of course it made sense that Slippy would leave, he was getting married. He now had more in his life than Star Fox.

But that announcement hit Fox like one of Corneria's bullet trains.

"Oh...Oh!" Fox stuttered. "I mean...that makes sense, considering that you and Amanda are getting...well, together and all."

"Yeah," said Slippy, now looking a little uncomfortable. "Times have changed, after all."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"I'm sorry, Fox," said Slippy suddenly.

"Wha?" Fox replied. "Slipp, what do you have to be sorry about?"

"About leaving," replied Slippy, looking up to him guiltily. "Fox, I've been part of this team for most of my life. It's been...everything to me, all this time. Just like it's been for you. Heck, even though it doesn't feel like it since you, Falco, and Krystal are the better pilots, I'm one of the founding members of the second generation of this team! And...the fact that all of you are my dearest friends means leaving this is hard and you might be...are you mad at me, Fox?"

The way Slippy said it troubled Fox. Slippy had been a constant presence on the team, perhaps the most constant. Peppy was no longer an active member, and Falco's long absence after the Lylat War counted against the avian. And Krystal, though dedicated, had only been part of the team for two years. Throughout the teams second existence under himself, Slippy had been Fox's longest serving wing-mate, not counting Peppy or ROB.

And now that wing-mate was leaving. For good.

As much as Fox hated to admit it, it did scare him. But if there was one thing he absolutely wasn't, it was angry at his best friend for finding a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.

How could he be?

"Slippy," said Fox, patting him on the back. "I'm not mad, honest."

Slippy looked at him for a long moment. "But it bothers you," he said.

Lying was absolutely out of the question. Slippy would knew, and had known him long enough.

"I mean, it's a major change, and it'll take some getting used to, but...I'm happy for you, Slipp," said Fox.

Slippy smiled at him. "You're a good friend."

Fox patted him on the back. "I try to be," he said.

They embraced each other again, and Fox left the room. All the way back to lounge, he was lost in thought. So much so he couldn't continue reading his book.

Strangely, he felt like he was in a free-fall. All of life, all at once, was rushing around him.

* * *

Slippy broke the news to the rest of the team at the dinner table. The reactions of the crew were to be expected.

"And here I was thinking that this nerd over here would be the last one of us to get hitched," said Falco with an arm wrapped tightly around Slippy's neck, "looks like I was wrong!"

"Oh har har," said Slippy, his smile not at all matching his words, "I'm happy you had faith in me."

"You are going to make Amanda very happy, Slippy," said Krystal earnestly, rubbing his back. "I'm so happy for you."

"Yeah man," said Katt, toasting her beer to him. "I mean, it's pretty obvious you two were gonna get hitched."

"Really Katt?" asked Slippy, beaming.

"Oh yeah!" Katt replied, "She's the only one out there in Lylat that can match you in your nerdiness."

They all shared a laugh at that. Fox's laugh was half-hearted. Ever since Slippy broke the news he'd hadn't felt level at all.

Thankfully the rest of the team was too happy for Slippy to notice. Except for Krystal, of course. In his peripherals, he could see her looking at him with concern, and he avoided eye-contact as much as possible.

He needed to think about this himself.

As soon as he finished dinner, Fox brought he dishes to the sink and walked back to his room without wishing another congratulations to Slippy. A mistake, as he knew that would only worry Krystal more. Once he was in his room, he pulled up a chair to the large viewport in his quarters, and simply stared at the stars. All the while also looking at the picture on his desk, the most recent portrait of the entire team. He kept focusing on Slippy in particular.

A founding member, he thought. And someone who had been there for him ever since before his parents died, and after.

A knock on the door broke his musings. He didn't need to ask who it was.

"Fox?" said Krystal. "Can I come in?"

Fox took a breath.

"No, Krystal. I'm...I want to be alone," he answered.

Silence.

"Fox, are you sure?" she answered, her voice soft. It pained him to do this, but needed this time to himself.

"Yes, Krystal. Don't worry," he answered.

That wasn't going to convince her, but it did get her to go away. Fox went back to looking at the stars, and looking at the picture every so often.

He barely slept that night. The free-falling sensations persisted.

* * *

"Well guys," said Slippy, tears in his eyes and standing in front of his Arwing, "I guess this is goodbye."

"Dude, don't say that," said Falco, who despite his attempt to appear collected obviously looked saddened, "It's not like you're going away forever. I'm crashing your wedding whether you invite me or not, and you know that."

It was the fact that Slippy didn't make a snappy comeback at that remark that told Fox just how final this all was. He stood next to Krystal, with his arms folded and the calmest expression he could manage on his face.

"And I"ll be there to, Slippy," said Katt, wrapping an arm around Falco, "Me and this guy here will be eating you out of house and home every month."

Slippy hugged the two of them, and Fox could see tears welling up in all their eyes.

Slippy walked over to the two of them next. Slippy didn't say anything to him, there wasn't anything else to say. He merely embraced him, which Fox returned with all the friendly warmth he had. "I'm gonna miss you," he told Slippy.

"Of course," Slippy replied.

Krystal embraced him too, and Fox could see tears in her eyes as well.

"Slipp," Krystal began, "It was fun flying with you. I wish you and Amanda the best, alright?"

"And I wish you both the best too," said Slippy, "and it was great to be there when you started on this team. I'll miss you just as much as the others here, don't worry."

"Thank you," said Krystal, wiping her eyes and smiling.

They all watched as Slippy's Arwing launched from the Great Fox's hanger for the last time, speeding towards Aquas and his future. It was when Slippy's fighter was seemingly absorbed by the blue planet that Fox walked back to his room, back to his chair, and back to looking out at the stars in thought. He stayed rooted at that spot for most of the day cycle, and late into night cycle. And just like last time, a knock on the door broke him from his thoughts.

Fox, said Krystal to him telepathically, Please let me in.

He didn't answer at first.

Leave me alone, Krystal, he thought back, letting out a long sigh.

Fox, she answered, I can sense it, I know that you're-

Krystal, he thought back sternly, leave me alone.

Then what do you want me to do? she questioned harshly, I'm not going to let you just sit there and feel miserable.

I'm not miserable, I just need some time alone, he thought back slowly.

Don't lie to me Fox, she replied, now sounding cross. And how long will it be before you talk to someone?

I don't know, Krystal, he answered. Now he was impatient.

But Fox-

Krystal! he thought back loudly. I just want to be alone! Please. Stop bothering me.

A long moment of silence passed between them both. Long, and horribly uncomfortable. Finally, he heard the sound of paws padding down the hallway.

His thought went back to Slippy leaving, and how uncomfortable it made him feel. In fact, this last few days had been incredibly uncomfortable. balance. Like someone had taken his one of his legs and made it shorter than the other, so he could see things from a nauseatingly bad angle.

And all of the sudden, a sickening thought entered his head.

That was probably the first time he had every raised his voice to Krystal in anger. And that thought alone made him sick to his stomach all the more. Coupled with the reality of Slippy leaving the team, and all the thoughts that came with it, he felt noxious.

_I'm not going to let you sit there and be miserable._

She'd only been trying to help. And...he was miserable right now. And sick, he guessed.

A low whimper escaped his throat.

...Krystal? he thought, hoping she'd answer him.

Nothing.

He felt his heart drop into his gut.

...I'm sorry, Krystal, he thought sincerely.

Nothing.

I've been...I've been thinking a lot lately about Slippy leaving, and how this team is going to feel different without him, he thought, his eyes welling up a little, and it's very hard to think about. I'm having a difficult time. I...I am miserable right now. I just wanted some time alone, but that's no excuse to yell like that.

Still nothing.

I'm sorry, Krys, he thought as meaningfully as he could. I'm just going through a lot right now, and...

He couldn't do this alone.

...Please come to my room, he thought shyly. Please, Krys...I'm so sorry...I need you right now, this is too hard.

For a moment he waited, and once that was up he lowered his head in shame. He tried to look at the picture of the team again, but it hurt too much. But all that hurt vanished the moment he heard his door woosh open. He couldn't bear to look as he heard paws padding over to his bed, and the sound of someone sitting down.

"Look at me, Fox," she said.

He did. She wore a small frown, though her eyes didn't hold anger, but rather a mix of concern and sadness. There was warmth in those eyes. And right now he wanted to be consumed by it.

He tried to look away, but she gently cupped his cheek in her paw and made him look back at her. He leaned into her hand.

"...you're mad at me," Fox whispered.

"I was," she replied, her tone soft, "But after you told me you needed me, I had to come."

"...are you mad now?" Fox asked.

Her response was to stroke his cheek fur with her thumb. "No, I've forgiven you," she answered. "Now I'm just...I'm relieved you called me over."

Fox let another moment pass of Krystal just petting his cheek.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Krys," he said meaningfully. "I'm really sorry."

"I wasn't mad that you yelled at me, Fox," Krystal answered. "I was mad that you didn't talk to me."

"What?" Fox answered.

"Fox, for these last two days, I could feel it," she answered, her tone hushed and caring, "I could feel how stormy your mind was, and I wanted to do everything I could to calm you. I wanted you to talk with me. And...Fox, you can't just go off on your own like that, not when you're hurting that badly."

"Sometimes I'm going to have things I want to keep to myself Krystal," Fox answered.

"I know that," she answered, "I do. And I will admit I was pushy and I should have considered that you wanted time alone, but Fox, I could feel your pain. And I...I hate feeling that from you. I hate feeling that you're in pain. It hurts, darling."

She said this with tears welling up in those perfect blue eyes, and Fox once again was lost in their expanse, and the love and care they held for him. And what she called him only made that paw that stroked him all the warmer.

To think she could actually feel his pain.

"...I'm so sorry, Krystal. I didn't know that it hurt." he whispered.

"I know," she answered. "And I will remember to be a bit more gentle when I urge you. If you want to be alone, I will work to be more patient. But please, Fox. If something is truly bothering you and it hurts, tell me. I will help you. Have your space, yes, but don't you ever think you have to bare the burden yourself. "

"I will remember," he responded, holding the hand that held his cheek. He gave a little smile, which she returned.

A quiet moment passed with the two of them just looking at one another. Then Fox turned his gaze back to the stars.

"Talk to me, Fox," said Krystal. He didn't need to ask what she meant. Folding his hands in his lap, he began to speak.

"Slippy leaving the team reminded me of something," he began, "And...well, it's sort of a hard thing to face."

"And what thing is that?" Krystal asked.

"That there's life beyond Star Fox," Fox answered.

He looked back at her, to she was giving him a confused look.

"Explain," she said.

"Well," Fox began, "Star Fox has really always been the...one of the biggest things in my life. It's always been in focus, if you know what I mean. I had decided on being a pilot even before my father died, but after that happened and the Lylat War began, I really only had one goal in my mind-to fly and fight, and carry my father's legacy."

He took a moment to look down and close his eyes. "It's really be one of the centers of my life, one of the things on my mind so much" he said. "When I first became Star Fox's new leader, Slippy, Falco, and Peppy all were behind me, and right then I saw it as my future. And now I see it was the only future that I've ever thought for myself for a long time."

It must have been the tired tone in his voice, because he felt a warmth around his waist now. He smiled at Krystal's tail, which she a wrapped around him.

"Slippy leaving...it showed that Slippy has something beyond this team," he started again. "That's sounds selfish of me, doesn't it? It showed me that I've focused all my life on Star Fox, and in doing so I...I've never thought about life beyond all of this. All this fighting. And at one point, like Peppy, I won't be able to pilot anymore. That...all of this scares me. It's overwhelming."

He heard Krystal hum in thought, and he looked over to see her tapping her chin. She looked to him.

"I think I know how you feel," she said.

"Really?" Fox asked.

"Well," she started, "After my planet was destroyed, the only thing I could think about was finding out who did it and getting answers. It never occurred to me to think much about the reality afterword, of having to live with being the survivor of genocide. One day shortly after you found me on Sauria, I woke up in the middle of the night and thought, 'oh my goodness, what happens now?' It was incredibly scary, even though I was with you and the team. I can't imagine how that would have been if I didn't have this home now."

Fox reached over and ruffled her hair. She batted his paw away with a quiet giggle.

"Yeah," he said, "That does sound like me in a way. I mean...Krys, I've focusing on piloting since I was 18!"

He sat up out of his bed and looked at her in shock. The enormity of it all made him hold his head in befuddlement.

"I've been doing this since I was around your age when you met me, Krys," whispered Fox, "And...I never thought about the time when I could begin to move on from this team."

Krystal reached up and held his hand. "Sometimes time gets away from us," she offered.

"I'll say...Krystal, I'm twenty-eight years old!" he said, covering his eyes with his paw.

"...and?" Krystal asked.

"I'm...I'm old!" Fox moaned, holding his head. Suddenly all those years caught up to him in a single moment of his body beginning to ache, and Krystal just fell on the bed laughing.

"What?" Fox asked, his ears leaning back and tail wrapping around his left leg.

"It's just," Krystal said, trying to stifle a giggle, "It's just that the way you said that...oh my, Fox, that was something."

Fox pouted. It only made her giggle again. Then he cracked a smirk.

"This means I can make fun of you when you get old," Fox said wryly.

"No it doesn't," Krystal replied quickly, sticking her tongue out at him.

The two shared a laugh, and Fox looked back out the viewport. Solar shined brightly amidst the dotted darkness.

"Fox?" Krystal asked softy.

"Hm?" Fox replied.

"Have you been thinking about those retirement plans?" she asked. Fox looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, with all that's happened, not as much as before. But that subject's still on my mind, for sure," he answered.

It was Krystal's turn now to look out the viewport, and he could practically see the gears in her head turning methodically. She looked back to him.

"If you hadn't met me," she asked, "and if we hadn't gotten serious about...us, would you be thinking about retirement plans?"

That...that was a hell of a question. Fox could only scratch his head with his ears lowered. He didn't look out at space this time, instead choosing to look at Krystal's eyes. One of his ears twitched.

"...no." Fox finally answered.

"What?" Krystal answered.

"No, I wouldn't be thinking about. Not at this point," Fox said truthfully.

Krystal just looked at him.

"But," she started, "But Fox, surely at some point you've thought about it? I mean...eventually you'll get old enough that you know you can't do this anymore, and then you'd have to find something else to do in your life. You're telling me that you're just now considering it, and you might have never done so until it was too late if it weren't for meeting me? For getting into a relationship with me?"

Fox just shook his head. Hearing someone else sum it up for him made him uncomfortable.

"No," Fox answered. "I...I'm different than Falco in that way. Falco always wants to pilot, and that's not because he doesn't have anything else to do. It's what he wants to do. Me? I've been piloting for so long that I just...I just don't know what else to do. And I never thought about it."

He was really uncomfortable now. Strange. He'd always been comfortable with this part of himself, but to hear Krystal confront him directly about it made it seem...depressing, almost. Like it seemed that fighting was all he knew and all he ever would know.

...how much had he missed?

He felt tired all of a sudden.

But all the weight on his shoulders lifted when he felt Krystal walk up beside him and wrap her arms around him. Holding him, rubbing his back. And the look she gave him was a different kind of loving. It was protective.

"Then I'm glad I'm here," she said, "To be there and give you something else. To make you think beyond fighting."

Fox blinked.

"That sounds so...lonely and sad," she cooed. "To live you're whole life absorbed in fighting. To think it's only thing you can do."

Now his ears were really on fire. She was talking to him like he was the most beloved person in the world.

"But I'm here," she said, smiling, "to give you something. And fuss over you, too, apparently." She chuckled soothingly.

A comfortable silence followed. They looked at each other, then back out at the stars. They were together.

"Fox?" the vixen asked.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Where do you want to go after Star Fox?" she asked, "Where...this is sudden, I know, but after talking about the future I want to ask...where do you want to take us?"

Maybe it was the feeling in the room. Maybe it was all the emotion throughout the day. Whatever it was, Fox didn't know. But he did reply, and it just rolled off his tongue.

"I want you to always be with me," Fox answered.

He felt her tense, but he looked at her and saw no fear. Only...wonder? Excitement?

"You said you wanted to stay with me forever," she said, quietly, " I remember."

Fox just said it. And contrary to his wildest dreams, where it was impassioned and nervous, he said it serenely and dreamlike.

"I...I'd like to marry you."

All sound left the room but for his breathing and hers. He heard the sharp intake of breath, the strange calmness of his own breathing. And he saw. Saw the ways her eyes widened and the way she started to tremble a little.

"Fox..." she whispered.

His face was burning red now, but he didn't look away from her.

It was out in the open now. He wouldn't take it back. He'd never dare too.

"How long...?" she asked.

"Since we started getting close, before we admitted we loved each other," Fox whispered in reply, leaning into her. "I...I just started feeling that way. You're the only woman I've ever...I want you to always be at my side. I want...Krystal, I want a life with you."

She was searching for something. She placed her hand on his forehead. He knew she wanted to see if he was sure. He wasn't insulted. This was important. The distance he wanted to go with her. To marry and, hopefully, start a family. It had just always been there, that want. Now it was out.

Krystal began to cry silently, smiling at him and looking happier than he'd ever seen here before. She glowed with that happiness, lit up the room with it.

"So," Fox stumbled, "Do..do you..?"

She leaned into him now, nuzzling his forehead and nodding a silent yes.

For such a tumultous and emotional day, it was lovely night for Fox McCloud and Krystal. They held each other, and for the first time in two days, Fox felt level and right.

* * *

"So you told her, eh?" Falco asked, laying down on Fox's bed with is hands behind his head, grinning at his friend.

"Yeah," said Fox breathlessly, taking a sip of cola. Even with a close friend, talking about what happened that night left him feeling flighty and anxious. "I told her I would like to marry her at some point. And she...she said yes."

"Well love is really in the air, then," Falco replied. "Next you're gonna tell me that you and Krystal are going to run off and leave Star Fox with just me and Katt."

"We aren't ready to leave," Fox replied. "And we still have much to talk about regarding that future. But like I've said, it just came out. I feel sure about it, this is what I want."

"Marriage is one of those things that you need to be serious about," said Falco lazily.

Fox smiled. "Have you and Katt thought about...?"

"Nah," said Falco. "We're happy just being together right now. I don't even know if that will ever happen, but we are going to stick together, that much I know."

"I'm not surprised," said Fox good-naturedly.

"And what's that supposed to mean, Foxy?" Falco asked with his typical smirk.

"You and Katt are to wild for domestic life," Fox quipped, now smirking himself.

"Krystal has you more whipped than I thought," the bird retorted easily. "But I won't lie and say that you're wrong, bud. So, when's the bachelor party? Because I need to reserve some ladies for us-"

Fox's wristcomm beeped, interrupting the bird and the soda can that was about to fly from Fox's hand. Looking down, Fox saw it was a message from Peppy. He smiled once he read it.

"Well Falco," said the vulpine, "Seems Katina needs us for something."


	5. Chapter 5

Hi everyone! It didn't take an infinity amount of years for this one to come around.

Thanks to whitefur, as always, for his proofreading and his suggestions. Check his stuff out. And bask in his inferior love of Krystal, compared to mine.

As always, please read and review, God bless, and be safe. Thank you everyone!

* * *

Chapter V: Turnaround

Within minutes of Fox getting the call, the team was assembled on the bridge for briefing. The floating holographic head of Peppy stared at Fox, his brow furrowed.

"As you know," the aged hare began, "You're next work will take you to Katina. Your mission is focused on the removal of some vagabond pirates on the planets surface. Specifically, at this location."

Fox saw the holographic head look down, and some beeping noises sounded off; Peppy was typing at a console of sorts. The head moved over as the 3D hologram of a pyramid shaped structure appeared. Fox instantly recognized it as the standard structure of a Katinian military outpost. The base was walled, with structures stretching out from the central pyramid. However, Fox noticed this base looked significantly more run down compared to other Katinian bases he'd seen, particularly the one the team had first fully encountered the Aparoids.

"This is Outpost Whethorford," said Peppy, "an old decommissioned base that the vagabonds in question have commandeered. It's arsenal, being so old, is less than what you would find at a more current base. The fighter craft and other vehicles inside the base are dated as well."

Fox was confused. Falco voiced his befuddlement.

"Excuse me, gramps," said the avian, "but why are we being called in if this place is that old? I mean, come on, the Katinian military can take this easy. I'm not one to refuse money, but this seems too easy."

"I'm glad you picked up on that," said Peppy, "you see, the reason why you will be working with the Katinian military for this job is because this base was the test site for a new piece of Katinian military technology back when it was in operation. Once the base was decommissioned, it seems the oversight was sloppy, and so it was just recently discovered that whatever that technology was, it's still there at that base. Worse, whatever records of that technology there were have been lost."

"Somebody lost there job," Krystal grumbled, raising an eyebrow.

"Indeed," said the aged hare, "and it's because of this uncertainty that you are on the job, along with a squadron of Katinian fighters and two armor divisions. Katinia is taking no chances with this cleanup, and they want the best."

"Obviously us," said Katt.

"This lack of information troubles me, Pepp," said Fox seriously, crossing his arm and furrowing his brow, "This is the kind of thing that get's people killed."

"What I've given you now is the most the Katinian Military has," explained Peppy, sighing, "And trust me, I'm as angry as you are. It's actually doing me good to see that you are worried. But," and Peppy smiled, "a piece of good news is that Katinia has picked a special someone to lead that squadron of their fighters."

Right as Peppy finished, the hologram of a grey and white-furred bulldog appeared next to the information regarding the base. He smiled upon the whole of them, and Fox felt his bad mood evaporate immediately.

"Bill!" Fox exclaimed, smiling broadly.

"My man, Fox!" the mirthful Katinian pilot responded, "It's good to see ya! It's been a while."

"Too long," said Falco, put in a good mood by seeing the bulldog as well, "Jeez, Bill, how've ya been?"

"Fine," Bill responded, "and feeling pretty good knowing that you guys are on this case, and that I get to support you. You'd be useless without me, after all."

"But of course," said Katt, rolling her eyes, "We truly have been saved, team."

"Indeed," said Krystal, looking over at the feline, rolling her eyes as well.

"I'm glad to see that you are all happy to see Mr. Grey," said Peppy, smiling himself, "But let's focus. Team, you are to meet with your assistance at this base marked here," and at Peppy's words a holographic map of Katina appeared next to his head with a red dot marking an area, "you will be briefed one last time there, and then your mission begins. Peppy out."

Everyone on the bridge responded with a "roger," and the holographic call ended.

* * *

The ride to the base to meet up with their backup proved uneventful. However, for the entire ride and rebriefing at the base Fox felt anxious. Running a mission with such low intel bothered him to no end. Not even seeing Bill again completely dulled the foul mood, even though he hadn't seen the bulldog since before the Aperoid Invasion. Once the briefing was finished, and the team was allowed to collect themselves while the Katinian forces prepared, Fox chose to lean against one of the hanger walls and stared at the row of Arwings-and Katt's Catspaw-in front of him.

Only three Arwings. Despite having made some peace with that, it still bothered him.

"Fox?"

He looked to his right. Krystal had walked through the hanger doors, and was looking at him. Fox smiled a little. The vixen walked over to him.

"Can I vent at you for a moment?" she asked.

"Of course. I hope I didn't do anything wrong?" Fox answered uncertainly. Krystal shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not you, it's this mission," she answered, "I don't like how we're going in so blind."

"You must be spending too much time around me," Fox answered, "I'm feeling the same way right now."

"Hence why I came to you," said Krystal, "I mean, who knows what those vagabonds have! I understand that the outpost is old, so we aren't talking about anything ahead of our time, but regardless I'm greatly nervous. Fox, what do you do in these kinds of situations?"

"Hope for the best," he answered, "and fight as hard as I can. This wouldn't be the first time I've flown in with minimal intel, and as much I hate to admit it, this probably won't be the last time."

"Because some military officials have a lack of oversight and need to be fired," Krystal replied irritably.

Fox chuckled. Then his expression became serious. "Krystal," he asked, "About last night and me...me asking you to marry," and he blushed at the word, "are you absolutely sure-"

He was cut off by Krystal gently placing her finger to his muzzle, and the warm and adoring smile she gave him just about turned his legs to jelly and lit his ears on fire with scarlet. "I do," she said softly.

He needed nothing else. Her expression, her words, they told him everything. He kissed her, Krystal responding in turn. They pulled away, now looking longingly at each other in each other's arms.

A voice over the hanger intercom told them the mission was underway. Krystal hugged him once more, as did he, and she whispered into his ear:

"I will protect you."

She kissed him on the cheek, and walked to her CloudRunner with little swing in her hips. Before climbing into her cockpit, she winked at him.

* * *

They were in the air minutes later, moving quickly as to have some advantage against the vagabonds in question. Fox had uploaded the coordinates to the base into his headset, thus the the green scanner over his right eye showcased a dwindling meter counter as he flew. He was heading the "flying V" his team flew in, with Krystal at his right and Falco and Katt at his left. Some distance further to his right was Bill's group of about 15 fighters. This brought them to a total of 19 fighter craft. The armor divisions had left earlier than them to take a hidden position, ready for the attack.

"So we know they have their own fighters, and they will supplement those fighters with the craft they took from the base, correct?" Fox asked Bill, making sure he had his information straight.

"Affirmative," Bill said in a business-like manner. When ever the laid-back bulldog was in the air, practically all of his joviality vanished. "The whole of them shouldn't be a terribly big force, but they'll be putting up a fight."

"I'm getting some faint thought patterns," said Krystal, "we're getting close. It's a group fighters."

"Look sharp everyone, let's make this as neat as possible," Fox announced, "We don't know what kind of secret weapon they have in there, so stay frosty and don't be afraid to radio in Bill's pilots for backup. That goes double for you Falco."

"Aye aye, Orange Wonder," said a certain avian. Fox rolled his eyes.

Suddenly Fox's radar beeped, indicating those enemy fighters Krystal mentioned. Looking to his scanner he could tell they were still some meters away.

"Incoming!" He called out. "Here's that welcoming crew! Krystal, you're with me. Falco, with Katt. All range mode"

Falco and Krystal "affirmative"s sounded off simultanuously, along with the sound of his wings moving into place.

The welcoming force met them head on. For the brief moment before he picked a target, Fox scanned the enemy craft. Standard pirate fighters; in other words old Venomion 7-18 Interceptors and Kewian EFE Hellcats. They were mixed together, in formation but not terribly organized Nothing out of the ordinary, but still. With some kind of secret weapon running about...

"Keep your eyes out for anything unusual, guys," Fox called out, "That weapon may be a fighter craft."

"That goes double for you, people!" Bill called to his squad, already tailing a craft.

Fox saw Krystal in the corner of his eye peel off and pick her own target, her boosters roaring into a chase. She stayed close; wouldn't want to get caught out and not be in a position for him to get to her quickly if she got in a pickle. Finding his own unlucky prey, Fox settled behind an enemy. Clearly these folks had an idea of who they were dealing with, the vagabonds sudden and panicked bobbing and weaving told him that. Not good enough. Holding down the trigger, he waited for the satisfying beep of a lock-on before smirking and letting go. The craft before him exploded, bursting with a muted boom thanks to his insulated cockpit, and he peeled away to avoid debre.

Falling in behind another target, his Arwing glided through the ear's twitched as his scanner beeped, letting him know that an enemy fighter had settled into tailing him and was trying to gain a lock. Thanks to quick peripherals he could see the Hellcat tailing him.

"Krys," he called out, "little help?"

"Way ahead of you," she called back.

Glancing behind him, through the cockpit windshield he could see Krystal's Cloudrunner settle in behind the enemy fighter. Fox bought her some time with a few evasive maneuvers, and merely three seconds later, Fox heard another muted explosion behind him as said fighter exploded, and he smiled when he saw Krystal's Cloudrunner Arwing sail away to find another target.

Stay out of trouble now, she thought to him playfully.

"Your COMM is there for you to use," he responded playfully in turn. A moment later he received a video feed of the vixen sticking her tongue out at him. He winked at her.

The fight continued, with the vagabond forces taking heavy losses. They were already mismatched against his team, and the squadron of Katinian fighters only added to this. Bill had trained his pilots well. Smooth and practiced maneuvers and steady handling. Textbook, and impressive to look at.

"Anyone see anything odd? A fighter out of place for example?" Fox called out to everyone. The threat of that secret weapon was humming in the back of his mind.

"Negative," Katt replied, "all of these amateurs are flying typical pirate junkers. They barely have shielding to match the Katinian fighters shielding, let alone ours."

Some of the Katinian pilots voiced their discontent at that remark.

"I mean," Katt continued, "There ain't much that can stack up to our craft."

"You're not wrong, but don't rub it in," said Bill.

"I hope this was all just a grave tactical error on their part, and not a trap," said Krystal. "Most of though patterns I investigated didn't reveal such a thing, and it's hard to hide from my power, but still..."

"Don't get Fox paranoid more than he already is," said Falco.

"I'm just saying," Krystal replied.

Once the stragglers were picked off, they continued towards the base, and it only took a moment to see the pyramid pop up over the horizon, it's anti-air turrents along the perimeter wall training on their position. Another swarm of fighter craft was on it's way, and Fox could see older models of Katinian fighter craft mixed in their ranks. Small amounts of enemy armor rolled out of the base. His radar beeped, indicating that Katinian armor was already rolling out to meet the opposition.

"Don't let your pilots get mixed up because they are using similar fighter craft," Fox called out to Bill. Then he addressed his team. "Same teams as last time. Watch the fighters in the air, but don't neglet those turrents and ground forces."

"Same to you all!" Bill called out to his squadron, "Husky Group, focus on the air, Bulldog, light up those turrets and ground troops!"

"Keep an eye for that secret weapon," Katt added.

As soon as the orders were given out, the battle commenced. The sheer enemy numbers let Fox know they were really throwing everything at them now. They had to know how quickly that first force had been cut down. They must be running on desperation now, not sparing a single soldier.

Strangely, even with that in mind, Fox couldn't see any unusual looking craft. Even now, still no secret weapon?

He tailed another fighter, open for a short burst of laser fire for the take down. He grunted in shock as his Arwing shook. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the base anti-air turrents tracking him. He checked his shields. Nothing to worry about at the moment. But if he wanted to dogfight in peace...

He set a course for one of the walls where four turrents sat trying to get a bead. Red blasts of laser fight shot through air, following a predictable pattern. Thankfully, the turrents themselves took time to move and follow his maneuvers, and as he drew close for the kill the fire became erratic and unfocused. Who ever lead these people must have forgot to teach them one of the oldest tricks in the book with battlefield tactics.

Never panic.

As he flew by Fox painted the entire wall with laser fire. With bright lights the emplacements exploded, leaving smoking ruins in their place.

He turned around to head back to thick of the fight, just catching Falco finishing a strafing run on some enemy tanks to support the now engaged Katinian armor.

"This is starting to be too-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Falco," said Fox tersely.

The battle went on, with all losses overwhelmingly falling on the vagabonds side. In fact, not a single allied craft had fallen, such was their advantage.

Fox's scanner beeped, picking up movement.

The large hanger door at the base of central outpost pyramid was opening. His eyes widened.

"Eyes up!" he called out, "They're opening the base!"

Fox could still hear the whirring and beeping of his Arwing's systems. But to him an eerie quiet had descended upon the battlefield. That is, until the machine came into view.

It was walker-type war machine, possessing four legs that moved in spider like movements' The central body was shape like an upper torso, with hatches where the "stomach" would be. There were four "arms," two at the side and two from the back, all of which equipped with what looked like missile launchers. At the the top was a head, visored. It was colored tan and green, the colors of the Katinian military force. It was tan along the body and green along the appendages. The colors were muted, darkened with age, and whatever it as, Fox guess it hadn't been bathed in the Solar's rays for some time until today. Fox even saw some dents and scratched, even rust.

"What in the world?" Fox whispered.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Bill moaned.

"What?" Fox asked, immediately in a ready mood again, "What are we looking at, Bill?"

"That's an Hyperion Walker," Bill responded. "The Model 1, and the only model to ever be produced. At the time, it was the most advanced war machine we ever designed. How the heck did we lost track of this thing!? Oh man, Krystal, you were right, somebody just got fired!"

"Can I say I hate being right?" Krystal responded.

"What's it weakness?" Fox asked.

"I don't know, I only heard the name and was never able look at blueprints. Of course those vagabonds would come across something like this," Bill replied.

I need Slippy to analyze that it, Fox decided, I-

He blinked.

He made his next decision in a second.

"I'll look for a weak point," he called out, "Team, focus on the fighters and remaining armor. I'll find that chink in the armor."

"Fox!" Krystal called out, "by yourself?"

"Dude, don't you think you need backup?" Falco asked.

"Until we find out where to hit that thing," Fox replied, pausing to shoot down another fighter, "I'm not going to go all in on it and put more of us danger than needed. I'll take care of it. I'll call in as soon as I find something."

"Fox.." Krystal murmured.

"Krys, I'll be fine." Fox replied, giving the vixen's comm image a smile.

He was heartened to see her smile and nod back at him after a moment. "Be careful," she said, before signing off.

Closing in on the walker Fox eyeballed it for anything that looked like a chink in the armor. As old as this thing apparently was, surely it had to have some weaknesses. He ruled out the torso quickly. As old as this thing looked it's armor looked formidable. Maybe-

His eyes widened when one of the missile pods opened it's doors. Five missiles screamed through the sky, headed right for him.

"Incoming!" he yelled.

He hoped everyone heard that. He didn't have time to look as he banked hard to the side thanking his lucky stars that the missiles veered wide away from him. This thing was so old it's heatseeking technologies were sub-optimal. That distance he had between himself and them certainly helped as well.

Looking at the craft again Fox focused on the "joints" of the legs. If nothing else, those looked like the points with the weakest armor. And if they were, keeping this thing from being mobile was the best course of action. The craft's biggest design flaw from it's looks was the importance of balance. Take out one of the legs, and it was a sitting duck.

Coming in for an attack, Fox fired off a short burst of laser fire. The blasts connected. The joints flared red with heat, and he saw the sparks fly. The Hyperion even stopped moving and wobbled slightly.

Bingo.

"It's the joints on the legs!" Fox said on the global comm. "Krys, mind helping me with this?"

"On my way!" the vixen replied.

"How's everything on your end Falco, Katt?" Fox asked.

"Fine!" Falco replied. "Bill's squadron lost some ships in that last missile barrage, but their losses are bigger. We're wearing them down."

"Fox, I just got intel from command," Bill interjected, "Look, the Hyperion isn't just outfitted with missiles. It has some sort of secret weapon on it as well."

"They didn't tell what that is, I'm guessing?" Fox asked

"All plans for the Hyperion were burned once the project was pulled," Bill replied. "Too dangerous. So that's twice we've been screwed by the pencil pushers, if anyone's keeping count. We have no idea what that thing has in store."

"Everyone's getting fired today!" Krystal yelled.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fox saw Krystal form up beside him for the next run on the Hyperion. The walker was dead ahead of them.

"I get one joint and you got another?" Krystal asked.

"No, focus all your fire on the joint I tagged last run," Fox replied, "I'll help you. We need to get that thing immobile, and one joint gone should do it."

"I see the joint," said Krystal.

What the Cloudrunner lacked in maneuverability it made up for with the power of it's plasma lasers. Krystal fired off a short burst and in seconds there was an explosion. The leg once connected to the joint fell into the Katinian sand, and the Hyperion began to fall. Once he and Krystal had looped around for another pass, they could see the walker had to use two of it's missile pods to steady itself. Even then, it wasn't an optimal position.

Not only was it immoble, but half of it's ordinance was gone.

"They're panicking," Krystal said.

"You sense it?" Fox asked.

"Oh yes. Not only is their lack of knowledge about piloting the walker coming back to bite them, but they also are starting to realize we have them beat. Same with the pilots in the fighters. But be careful Fox, a cornered beast is at its most desperate and dangerous."

Fox nodded.

Then a curious thing happened.

The "chest" of the Hyperion opened, and out popped the barrel of a canon. A blue light began to glow at the end of the barrel, with electricity arcing around it. The light grew larger and larger, and Fox gripped the stick hard.

"Move!" Fox yelled.

He and Krystal both banked left, just in time to see a blue orb of light rocket from the tip of the barrel and sail past them. Turning around Fox saw the orb fly into the midst of some of Bill's fighters. The orb "detonated," expanding outward into the shape of a large translucent sphere.

All the shields of the Katinian fighters-and vagabond fighters-inside the sphere fizzled out with a blue glow.

"That's an anti-shield EMP!" Katt yelled. "That thing has an EMP canon!"

"Well, now we know what that secret is!" Bill yelled back.

"Team, watch it!" Fox cried out. "Keep your eyes on that thing!"

"Roger," Falco, Katt, and Krystal called out.

"That goes for all of you!" said Bill to his flyers.

The Katinian fighters that had been stripped of their shielding were quickly taken down by surrounding vagabond craft, like scavengers killing an already injured prey. Though the Katinians took some vagabonds down with them, it didn't make Fox grit his teeth any less.

"Krystal," he explained. "come with me again. We're aiming for that canon. I'm willing to guess it's in an area of low shielding. Making that cannon explode ought to rip it apart from the inside. Watch it's charge and bank as soon as you see it fire. Also, don't approach to closely."

"Got it," Krystal replied.

The two of them were on another run, heading right it the Hyperion. Clearly that canon was going to take some time to charge again. In the mean time though, it raised one it's arms to fire off some missles. Krystal was ahead.

"Oh no you don't," she said. She fired off some laser rounds. The missile exploded, leaving the arm limping uselessly.

Fox could see the barrel begin to glow. Keeping focused, he charged a lock-on laser, though he was ready to bank off at a moment's notice.

"Fox, Krys, incoming!" cried Falco.

Movement to his left. Fox saw three enemy craft hone on the two of them.

"I'll bank off, Krys, you're laser's are better suited for taking that thing down," said Fox, and with that he veered off to take care of the craft. They followed him, just as he'd hopped. With a quick summersault he was right behind them. With a still quick of the fire button, one of the ships was a useless wreckage headed for the surface.

He heard laser fire close by, and he guessed that Krystal was taking care of business. So far, it looked like-

"Fox they shifted their aim!" Krystal cried out, "Move-"

Two things happened at once.

One, Fox heard the roar of the EMP weapon as it discharged, and two, Fox pressed the stick to the left as far as it would go, jerking himself over and thanking his lucky stars for G-Diffusers.

It wasn't enough.

The round didn't detonate terribly close to him. But the sudden shaking of his Arwing, and the chilling sight of an empty shield gauge told him all he needed to know.

"Fox!" Krystal screamed.

"I'm fine," Fox said tersely, everyone one of his piloting instincts firing on all cylinders. "Get them off me, Krys. They all have their shields down as well. Falco, help too."

"Copy," both pilots said quickly.

All it would take would be a couple hits of laser fire to put down his bird. And he would make sure that didn't happen. In fact, a blast behind him let him know that one enemy craft was already down. Krys had been extremely quick on the draw.

A beeping noise indicating three enemy missiles brought a chill down his spine. And they were headed right for the three of them.

"Break!" he yelled. "Break and get out of the way, shoot down those missiles!"

Falco and Krystal instantly obeyed, moving to the side while slowing down. The sudden movement caused the missiles to veer off course. Relief flooded his mind, until he realized one missile was still after him.

And practically right behind him.

"Fox!" Krystal screamed.

On pure reflex, Fox banked to his right. The missile wouldn't hit the cockpit.

He heard, rather than saw, his left wing explode in a flurry of metal and fire, and instantly his ears popped as cabin pressure changed. The cockpit systems righted the environment as much as it could, the G-Diffusers working into over drive. But curiously, Fox could feel something like a dull pinching sensation in his left leg.

Pure instinct. Fox knew he was going down, and an emergency landing was imminent. He couldn't hear anything, not the the probable screams of his friends or the wind whistling through the cockpit breech. He found a patch of ground far away from the base and all enemy units, brought the stick up, and braced himself.

He hit the ground hard, jerking his body and causing some pain to rip through his left leg. His wind shield dirtied with dust and sand as the the Arwing slid along the ground until it came to a complete stop, jerking Fox back with the inertia.

Fox still couldn't hear much. He only surveyed his surroundings. His comm was shot, along with most of systems. Slowly but surely he started to hear his own breathing again. He tried to move, only to scream at the sudden pain in his left leg. He looked, and almost fainted were it not for how steeled he was.

A large piece of shrapnel, most likely from his left wing, had stabbed itself through his leg. Blood was everywhere, though the wound being so plugged up was slowing the bleeding. It was the kind of wound that one bled out from, if medical attention wasn't received quickly.

Fox stared dumbly.

Somewhere in his head, he wondered if he was going to die.

Movement. Looking outside he saw the base, and a small force of enemy armor coming his way. The tank canons were trained on him, and suddenly Fox knew he was probably going to die.

Until the whole ground force exploded in a line of laser fire.

Slowly he looked up, dazed. The Cloudrunner, firing lasers at any craft stupid enough to get close.

Krystal. Krystal was keeping him safe.

_I will protect you_, he remembered.

The was getting lightheaded now, plugged though the wound was. He needed medical attention. He needed it now.

He closed his eyes.

**_FOX!_**

His eyes nearly popped out of his head from he quickly they snapped open. A massive spike of energy had sparked right in his mind, along with a message. For a second or two he was practically lucid.

It was Krystal.

**_Fox, don't you dare close your eyes!_**

Faintly he saw the CloudRunner land close by, Krystal leaping out of her cockpit and sprinting towards him. Her staff was with her, and as soon as she was close enough she leapt into the air and landed by his cockpit. With her staff she broke the windshield, causing raw rays from solar to spill over his body. Fox felt warm. He wasn't cold. That had to be a good thing.

As he closed his eyes, finally too tired to keep them open regardless of Krystal's efforts, the last thing he saw was the vixen's terrified expression framed by Solar's light.

* * *

He heard a beeping noise. But it was so far off, and faint. Someone's sleepy breathing. Someone clutching his hand.

Fox opened his eyes. Or at least he thought he did. He only saw a mosaic of dull colors, swirling over each other. He should have been disoriented, but oddly he felt...peace.

Then a blurry shape came into being. Fox could barely see that it was a figure.

It looked like a vulpine, from what he could see. Tan colored, just like him. Wearing an old flight suit and jacket, and...sunglasses?

Fox knew.

_Father_, he thought. He wanted to speak, wanted to say anything, but found he couldn't utter a word.

"Fox," his father's blurry image whispered, "Fox, don't make the mistake I made."

_Mistake?_ Fox thought. _What...what is this?_

"Fox," his father whispered mournfully. "Fox, don't wait any longer."

_Wait? Wait for what_, Fox thought.

"Don't wait," his father whispered. "Don't keep her waiting. Don't do what I did."

Before Fox could question any further, the colors exploded, his father's blurry image disappeared. He heard and smelt and felt the world around him. It smelled of medicine, sterility and...

...and her.

* * *

Fox awoke.

The white ceiling, the sterile smell, and the feel of what he was laying on let him know quickly that he was in a hospital. Dazed though he still was, in his peripherals he saw a window to his left, open and showing a night sky. A night sky with the moons of Katina.

An unmistakable scent caught up to him, and he felt someone's hand in his. He looked more to his right, and sighed in relief.

Krystal was at his bedside, her head down, and clutching his hand tightly. Her steady breathing let him know she was sleeping soundly.

The sight of her was enough to calm him down substantially. Krystal has told him plenty of times that he looked adorable when he was sleeping. In turn, he'd told Krystal plenty of times the sight of her sleeping peacefully brought him peace in turn. He tried to reach with his left hand to stroke her face, but he groaned with pain when he felt just how much his body ached.

He saw Krystal move. That groan must have woke her. She rose slowly, her eyes opening at the same speed. She wiped her eyes, stretching, and looked over to him.

Instantly she was fully awake. Her eyes widened, and now Fox saw that her eyes were wet with tears. How long had she been crying before he woke up, Fox wondered? She began to tremble, and gently reached a trembling hand to cup his cheek.

"Fox?" she whispered hoarsely.

Fox smiled weakly. "Yeah, I'm still here," he answered.

Krystal was a blue blur as she moved to hug him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Fox gasped in pain, and she immediately loosened her grip, but only just so. She began to cry, sobbing quietly into his neck.

"Fox...oh my goodness, Fox..." she whimpered, still trembling.

Fox, painful though it was, wrapped his right arm around her back. He nuzzled her gently, not knowing what to say.

"They said you might not wake up..." she said, "The doctors said that there was a high chance...that you wouldn't..."

Another stream of sobs and hiccups streamed from the vixen, and Fox stroked her back.

"It's okay," Fox said quietly, "I'm here Krys. Everything's going to be okay."

For a time they were quiet, just holding one another. Krystal sobbed, and Fox started to tear up himself.

"I thought I lost you," Krystal whispered.

"You didn't," Fox said, as comfortingly as he could.

She backed away from his neck, and started to stroke his face. Those eyes of hers. Those eyes looked down upon him with all the care and love and relief in Lylat, Fox guessed. Maybe even in the entire universe. Despite what had happened to him, Fox felt a little more alright when she looked at him like that.

"This is what you were afraid of." Krystal spoke.

"What?" Fox asked.

"This feeling," said Krystal, now cupping his cheek fluff and stroked it tenderly, "This feeling of nearly losing what you love...loss...this is what you feared. This is what you thought of when you tried to make me leave...It's horrible. It's like when my planet died."

That time back then, in the infirmary. That was the last thing Fox thought he was going to think about. But he could remember. That time when he was Krystal's bedside, holding her hand as she slept peacefully to rest while she recovered from her burn wounds.

The fear of what could have been. That fear of her death.

"Yes," Fox answered. He didn't want to think about that time. Not right now.

Krystal kissed Fox on the forehead.

"Never," she started, "never let me scorn you for asking me to leave the team back then."

"Krystal?" Fox said, surprised.

"Never, Fox," she said again, hugging him. "Never ever. I didn't do it back then, and I never will. Never let me."

Fox didn't say anything. He held her as she softly cried. He was relieved that he was alive, waking up to the sight of someone he loved right by his beside. Someone who had, most likely, never left his bedside the moment he came here.

It wasn't until later that he asked Krystal why he couldn't feel his left leg.


	6. Chapter 6

And hello again, everyone!

After this chapter, I've got to put this story on hold to work on my contest entry for Shepp's contest. I hope this chapter will tide you over in the meantime. It get's mushy here, by the way. AS IF IT ALREADY WASN'T.

Special thanks to whitefur, as always. His guidance for my drafts is always welcomed. I am very fortunate to have such a great writing buddy and friend. Even if his sadistic streak scares me sometimes.

Also I still love Krystal more than him, BUT ANYWAY

Please read and review if you can. Thank you all, dear readers, and may you have a good and safe day. God bless, and be safe.

* * *

Chapter VI: Going Along for the Ride

"Mister McCloud," said the Katinian doctor, a Sheep Dog, "Let me be clear. You had a 55% chance of not waking up after that kind of blood loss. You should consider yourself lucky."

To Krystal that extra 5% sounded like a death knell. A little over half a chance was terrifyingly too much. Even now, a whole hour after Fox had woken up, Krystal still held his paw tightly. The company of the entire team—and Bill—should have been a comfort, but it wasn't so.

She had been close to losing him.

"That's..." said Fox, "That's scary, Doc. I won't lie about that."

"It was for all of us, Foxy," Falco said. Krystal knew how serious the situation was for the avian immediately; Falco had said that with nary a hint of sarcasm or jest. "Heck, I just got off the phone with Slippy and he was practically screaming in worry. He's already on his way. Peppy just hung up after I told him, and he's probably arriving soon after."

Fox winced. Krystal could tell that facing Slippy was going to be hard for him. She stroked his cheek, and he looked over at her, only somewhat calmed.

"The other important business to discuss, obviously," began the doctor again, "is the matter of your leg, mister McCloud."

That was the most shocking matter, by far, for all of them. The moment the doctors told her that they needed to amputate the leg-as the damage was too extensive and the risk of infection too high-Krystal had felt all the wind in her stomach knocked out of her as if struck. Of course she told them to do it however. Anything that could be done to save Fox.

And it had worked.

"I'm looking at a prosthetic, right?" Fox asked.

"That is the best route. General Hare has already told me that he will spare no expense in making sure you will have the best technology avaliable," said the doctor.

Fox's eyes widened, as did Krystal's and everyone else's.

"Peppy's paying for my operation?" Fox asked.

"Yes," replied the doctor.

"But," Fox sputtered, "Sir, to be frank, he doesn't need to-"

"The General told me that you would resist that arrangement," said the doctor, smiling a little. "And he told me that he was going pay for the operation and prosthetics regardless of your complaints."

"The old man, ladies and gentleman," said Falco.

"I'll say," said Bill. "It would have been justice if I got high command to do it, but if General Hare want's to do it, than he can."

Fox leaned back in his bed. He sighed, looking at the ceiling. Krystal squeezed his paw tighter.

"What are we looking at going forward?" said Katt.

"Once the operation for the leg is complete, what comes next is physical therapy," said the doctor. "Mister McCloud will need to get used to the feel of the prosthetic, so he can move without incident. As General Hare's expenses are for the highest caliber of technology available, the prosthetic will be as un-cumbersome as we can make it. However, mister McCloud will still need physical therapy. No matter how good the technology, his body will still need to acclimate."

"How long?" Krystal asked quietly.

Everyone in the room was startled. It was the first time she had spoken since the start of this meeting.

"How long until he's moving well again?" she repeated.

The doctor collected himself. "Well, considering how the technology will be the best we can make it, perhaps a month or two. Perhaps more. Mister McCloud's own efforts must be factored in as well."

Krystal nodded.

"In any case," said the doctor, "That's all the news I have for now. Don't worry, Mister McCloud. You are in good hands."

With that, the doctor left the room, leaving all of them alone together.

"Well, team," said Fox, "At least I'm going to be fine." He smiled, though it was an uncertain smile.

"Sans a leg, but alive is alive," Katt agreed, smiling herself.

"Good to know I'll still have competition in being the best pilot ever in the universe," said Falco cockily.

Krystal wanted to say something, but unfortunately she could feel all the uncertain emotions bubbling underneath everyone. For all Falco and Katt were doing-and Krystal greatly appreciated it-she could still feel all the frightened emotions radiating from them. She couldn't do anything herself but continue to stroke Fox's cheek.

Falco was the one with the intiative.

"Hey, Katt?" he said.

"Yes, Falco?" Katt answered, a little startled.

"Can we go outside for a moment, I need to talk to you about something." Falco asked. With her peripherals Krystal could see Falco's eyes shifting back and forth from her and Fox, to Katt.

"Oh. Oh, sure," said Katt.

The two walked out. Now, it was only her and Fox in the room. Fox stared at the ceiling, letting Krystal continue to pet him tenderly. Then he looked at her.

"I'm so sorry, Krys," he whispered.

Krystal shook her head slowly. "You've done nothing wrong, darling."

Fox blushed, but continued. "Krystal, you've been shaken for the entire time since I've woken up. You're terrified. I don't like seeing you like this."

"I almost lost you, Fox," Krystal replied quietly, still petting Fox's cheek absently. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"But Krys-"

"Fox," said Krystal waveringly, "Stop."

Fox only had to look at her for him to quiet down. The silence was uncomfortable, but right now Krystal needed it. She wouldn't have Fox apologizing.

"My heart almost stopped when I saw you hit the ground," she said.

Fox let out a small whimper. She knew it would pain him for her to talk like this. But she needed to talk.

"I..." she stammered, "I had to shock your mind when I landed. I had to keep you awake. I couldn't bear to think what would happen if you closed your eyes. And when that happened anyway…and when I saw those enemy tanks approaching you. I only thought that I wouldn't let them touch you. Ever."

Fox laid his hand on hers, squeezing it. He smiled reassuringly at her. A sad smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"I'm alright, Krys," Fox said lovingly, "I'm alive. Everything's going to be fine."

Krystal smiled back. Within her though, she realized that something with Star Fox was going to have to change.

* * *

"Oh my goodness, Fox!" Slippy screamed when he entered the hospital room.

Krystal had expected Fox's childhood friend to be beside himself with worry when he showed up. He didn't disappoint. The moment the door opened Slippy rushed to his beside, tears in his eyes.

"I'm alive, Slipp," said Fox with a smirk. "Still untouchable."

"You lost a leg!" Slippy said in reply, scowling. "And you're telling me Katina sent you on this mission with minimal intel? And of course there happens to be a secret Katinian weapon in the base that singlehandidly strips shields. I'm going to make sure people lose their jobs for this."

Krystal had never seen Slippy on the warpath before. Frustrated, sure, but never righteously angry. It was actually scary. A little endearing too; Slippy cared deeply about Fox's well-being.

"Krystal called that one," Fox replied. "Peppy's making sure that whatever problem happened with Katinian military command and that lack of intel, it will be solved."

"And he meant business," Falco said, sitting next to Katt at Fox's bedside. "You know how Peppy looks when he's mad? It's like that, but worse."

"I'm not surprised," said Slippy. With concern Krystal saw the frog begin to cry. "I should have been there, Fox. I could have done something, some analysis, and I could have kept you from looking like this."

"Slippy-" began Fox.

"Don't interrupt me!" Slippy yelled. "I should have stayed, I see that now, and-"

"Slippy, dear," said a soft voice.

Slippy sighed, and looked back at his fiancé by the door. Amanda, the tall and slim frog Slippy had found love with was looking at him with concern, a frown across her face. "Slippy, we've talked about this. You can't blame yourself like that."

Slippy didn't respond. He only shook his head, and walked out of the room.

"I'm sorry, mister McCloud," said Amanda.

"Just Fox, Amanda. And don't worry. It's just hard on him. It's on all of us."

Krystal clenched Fox's paw tighter. Fox looked at her, and patted her paw in reassurance.

It didn't stop her from thinking.

Later in the evening, once Fox had fallen asleep, Krystal asked Falco and Katt to talk to her outside of Fox's hospital room. The three of them stood in the hallway, and as Krystal gathered herself, Falco actually broke the ice.

"You okay Blueness?" Falco asked.

It should have been easy to answer, but Krystal opened and closed her muzzle for a moment. "What?" she asked.

"Krystal, you've looked terrible ever since what happened to Fox," he said, "And judging from those wrinkles under your eyes, you haven't been getting any sleep. Look, Krys, I know you're worried and you have a right to be, but you gotta take care of yourself. Fox doesn't want you running yourself ragged."

Katt nodded in agreement.

Krystal sighed. She felt incredibly tired, and emotionally exhausted. She'd been at Fox's bedside all the time, swearing that she wouldn't leave him for a moment until he woke up. And even after he awoke, she'd exhausted herself on one terrible thought.

Fox could have died.

"I..." Krystal began, "I know now what Fox felt like after my accident sometime ago."

"I'll say," said Falco sympathetically. "You remind me of him. Too freaking withdrawn, for sure."

Krystal swallowed. She needed to just say it.

"I'm leaving Star Fox," she said.

Considering it was Falco and Katt, she expected something along the lines of an explosion of "You're making a big mistake" and "Oh no you're not," but what she got instead was a stunned silence. Then Falco pointed a wing towards her.

"First of all-" he started, in the most serious and calm tone that she'd ever heard from him.

"Falco, please, let me finish." Krystal begged.

The avian swallowed, and reluctantly relented.

"I'm not leaving Fox. Nor am I saying goodbye to any of you," she said, and to her relief she saw the two of them relax, but only a little. "But after what happened to Fox...one of us has to stay back. I've decide that will be me, for me and his sake."

A wretchedly uncomfortable silence fell on the three of them.

Falco took a deep breath. "It will be hard, being down a pilot," he said.

"Fox has you, Katt, and himself. You're all skilled pilots. And he can always find more. Of the two of us, this is best choice. Star Fox needs Fox. It can live without me," she answered.

"And be down it's telepath?" Katt countered.

Krystal flinched. She hadn't thought of that.

"No," she shook her head stubbornly. "I won't do this to Fox. I won't put myself in danger and risk him going through what I'm going through."

"Krystal, didn't you talk Fox out of something like this?" Falco asked.

"That's because I didn't know!" she explained. "Now I know. Now I know his fear. Felt it, too. And Falco, don't lie to me. You know, as one of Fox's closest friends, that if I were to die...it would absolutely destroy him."

Falco opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it just as quickly. Krystal knew there wasn't anything else to say.

"Damn it..." the avian muttered, looking away.

"And if he died...I..." Krystal began, but couldn't finish.

"Keeping him out there still brings up that risk..." Falco muttered.

"He's more experienced. And he'll only be more careful after something like this," Krystal countered. She didn't want to admit how scared she was saying that.

"This can't be the right decision, Blueness," Falco said, giving her a pleading look.

"Falco," Katt whispered.

The feline had been abnormally quiet the whole time. Krystal could feel something churning in her mind. Out of respect, she didn't pry. But whatever it was, it was...heavy.

"Krystal...I won't disagree with your decision," Katt said.

"Katt?" Falco said in surprise. "You can't back me up here?"

Katt just shook her head.

That left the avian outnumbered. Krystal knew there was no changing her mind. Falco looked at her for a long moment, then hung his head and shook it.

"...tell him when he wakes up," Falco whispered. "And you'd better have a good way of breaking that news."

* * *

Krystal didn't sleep much that night. She again slept at Fox's bedside, giving the nurses a withering look when they told her visiting hours were over.

Morning came. And with that, breaking the news. The whole team was assembled, Slippy as well. Bill had managed to find time too. And one more person had shown up shortly after everyone had come.

"Peppy," Fox said, looking up the old hare as he walked through the door. "Good to see you."

"I assure you, I am much more happy to see you, Fox. Alive," said Peppy, smiling down at Fox and patting his head. Despite the butterflies in her chest, Krystal smiled. Peppy always had this fatherly air; it was especially true around Fox, and now it was out in full force.

"What's this about you paying for my new leg?" Fox asked wryly.

"No excuses," Peppy said simply. "I won't be swayed on that."

Everyone except Krystal chuckled at that.

Peppy talked about the matter of payment for the mission too. Fox however only half-listened, Krystal could tell. He kept on looking at her thoughtfully. In fact, the metaphorical gears in Fox's head were churning quite quickly.

Once Peppy had finished talking, Krystal voiced her curiosity.

"Everything alright, Fox?" Krystal asked. Her own worries were growing as time passed. But she wanted anything to delay the news. And she really was curious.

Fox just looked at her. Krystal, for a horrified moment, thought he had heard the conversation between her and Katt and Falco the night before. But that wasn't possible. She had felt Fox being deep in sleep before the talk started, and they had walked further down the hospital wing to make doubly sure he wouldn't hear.

"Team," Fox said suddenly. "I...I have an important announcement to make."

From that grave tone, Krystal had the sinking feeling she wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

"Yes, Fox?" Falco asked.

Fox looked back at her, and then back at all of them together.

"I'm resigning from my position as the leader of Star Fox," said Fox with finality.

Utter silence.

"I'm passing leadership over to Falco, if he want's to continue the team. Otherwise, it's disbanded. You may all do whatever you wish," Fox finished.

On reflex, Krystal looked at Falco. The poor bird was about to fall over.

It took another second for Krystal to form a coherent thought.

"What!?" Krystal cried, standing up in bewilderment.

Fox didn't even look shocked at her outcry. If anything he looked like he expected it.

"It's a shock to all of you, I know. I've been running this show with all of you for a long time. Falco, Slippy, Peppy, you three especially, since we've been together for a while. And even three years is a long time, Krystal. But now I've got to step down," Fox finished.

Her decision to leave the team was now so far away in her mind.

"But...Fox, why?" Krystal asked.

Fox just looked at her.

"You," he said simply.

Krystal blinked.

"Guys," he began. "Look, you all know this. Krystal and I have gotten pretty deep in our relationship now. I had thought that, like my father, I could maintain that relationship while still piloting. Krystal being a pilot herself made me even more confident. But after what happened on Katina...I can't in good faith keep going like this. Krystal, I won't put you in a position to lose someone important in your life. Not after what happened to your home. I can't do that. Not after this."

"Fox..." Krystal whispered helplessly. "But...but the team...what about the team? What about Lylat?"

"Yeah," said Falco uneasily. "Fox, I mean...this is pretty freaking sudden."

"I should be glad that you all are thinking of the big picture, but, guys, It's time I bowed out here," Fox insisted. "I have something very important to me now," and here Krystal felt Fox grip her hand tightly, her face exploding with a blush, "and I won't...I can't lose sight of that."

Falco kept looking at her. So did Katt, but her look was a lot less helpless looking. Slippy looked understanding, naturally so. And Peppy just watched.

"Fox," she whispered shakily.

"Yes, Krystal?" he replied.

"You can't do this," she blurted out.

Fox looked confused. "What do you mean, Krystal? This is the right thing-"

"I'm leaving the team," she blurted out.

Now Slippy and Peppy looked surprised. Falco just looked like he was steeling himself for a wild ride, and Katt just looked on with a strange look.

"...huh?" Fox replied. His hopeless confusion would have been adorable in any other situation.

"Fox, I...look, me and Falco and Katt talked about this last night. I...I perfectly understand why you are doing this, but I need to be the one to leave the team," she answered.

"...Krystal, what are you saying?" said Fox.

"Fox..." she began. "I'm going to be that person to stay behind, for our sake. You're right, this relationship is important, and I-"

"No."

Krystal blinked in surprised.

"What?" she said.

Fox just shook his head. "I'm the one leaving, Krystal," he said staunchly.

"Fox," she said, raising her voice. "Star Fox needs a leader, and-"

"Don't you remember what you told me, Krystal. When I tried to make you leave?" said Fox.

Goodness, that time seemed so long ago now. She could barely remember it, what with the current conversation.

"I…" Krystal muttered.

"You said you loved piloting," Fox said seriously.

Oh.

Oh, goodness, no. She knew where this was going.

"Krystal," he continued. "I'm 28 years old now. I'm...well, I'm getting up there. It's actually about time I tried to find something else to do. You...Krys, you're in the prime of your life. 21 years old. I'm not going to ask you to let go of something that makes you happy. Hence why I need to step down."

Of course, Krystal thought in disbelief. Of course, it would be like this. It's Fox.

"Fox," she said steadily. "That's not important-"

"Krystal, you're happiness is the most important thing to me, right now," Fox said steadily.

It was the kind of thing any boyfriend said to their loved one. And Krystal didn't need telepathy to know that Fox was utterly honest about it.

"But...without the team," she said, reaching for something, anything, to keep him throwing his life away for her, "I don't have a team to pilot with! Especially if Falco decides not to continue-"

"Actually," said Falco solemnly. "Foxy, if you want-"

Krystal shot him a glare. He stopped talking.

"Fox," she began again, "you can't-"

"Yes, I can," he said, now raising his voice a little. "Krystal, even if Falco doesn't want to continue the team, you could still fly with the Cornerian Air Force, or run a solo outfit."

"Fox-" he began.

"Our you can go to school for whatever you'd like. And I say this genuinely Krys," Fox said, "I will support you financially, completely, in anything you choose. Like I said, your happiness is everything to me."

Krystal growled. "Do you have any idea how patronizing you sound-!"

She stopped once she took a closer look at Fox. Sure, it was the sort of thing that should sound patronizing, And she wanted it to be patronizing if only so she could get mad at him. But with that one look she could tell that Fox was being entirely serious.

"I know you can take care of yourself," said Fox, "But I just want to help."

In the corner of her eye she could see Peppy staring at her. He was trying to think something at her, and what she heard only made the situation so much more clearer.

_Don't tell me you didn't expect this._

Of course.

It's Fox.

Krystal looked at him for a few moments, than shook her head.

"Fox, no. No, I won't let you," she said.

"Krys-" Fox began.

"Fox!" she said, "you told me you didn't even have plans for life after Star Fox! I'm not going to let you just leave it like this. Not over me."

Fox faltered for a second, looking thoughtful, and for that hopeful second she thought she had gotten through to him.

"It will be hard," he admitted, but when he looked back at her his gaze was steeled, unmovable, "But I will figure it out, for you-"

"Stop thinking about me!" Krystal yelled.

Fox just looked at her, stunned.

"Fox, this team is everything to you!" she cried. "For years! Since your father! I'm not worth this! I can leave, we can keep going with what we have, and you can keep everything you worked for. I don't want you too-"

"No!" Fox cried back. "I can't ask you to stand down when you have so much you can do. I can't ask you to sacrifice this for me."

"Fox, I am NOT letting you stand down," Krystal said.

"It's too late," Fox said, unshakable. "Krystal, I don't understand why you don't want me too-"

"You can't expect me to let you sacrifice Star Fox," Krystal said, her fists tightened. "Fox, it's better-"

"No," said Fox. "I'm the one leaving."

And there it was.

There was no way, she now knew, that she could change his mind.

"You..." she gritted out, shaking.

"Krystal?" Fox asked, concerned.

She couldn't allow this. There was no way. But even as she searched for something, anything to say, she could reach for her frustration, her anger, over how Fox couldn't think about himself when he needed to.

"You fool!" she yelled.

Fox flinched, and reached for her as she ran out of the room.

* * *

The Katinian Military Hospital was located at a base very close to the shoreline of one of the planet's oceans. It offered a very scenic view. And tonight, it was exceptionally quiet. Quiet enough that Krystal could walk on the beach and think.

She instantly felt guilt the moment she thought back to hospital room. She shouldn't have yelled. Yet she was still angry. Angry that Fox couldn't see that her idea, her living the team, was the best possible option.

Fox didn't know what to do! That conversation they had, right before Fox proposed to her was still fresh in her mind. He had piloted all his life, never thought about life after piloting, and now he expected her to just sit back and watch as he left all that for an uncertain future? All for her happiness?

It was moments like this that she felt the most protective of him. Because she knew him. Fox would throw everything he had away in a heartbeat if it meant making her happy. And she would do the same for him, but of course, Fox was convinced he had to be one to do it.

She looked out at the horizon, at Solar setting in the distance. The sight calmed her a little. But she still felt steamed. Too steamed to go back.

"Krystal!"

The vixen looked behind her. Katt was running towards her, waving at her hand. Krystal stopped, looking confused.

"Katt?" she asked, as the feline stopped to catch her breath, "What are you doing down here?"

"I'm here to help...at least, as much as I can," Katt answered. She looked wistful for a moment, then looked at the horizon, then looked back at her. "Could ya walk with me, Krys?"

Krystal had never seen Katt look this solemn before. She nodded, and the two walked on the beach in silence for a moment. Krystal could feel Katt gathering her thoughts. She waited patiently.

"Did you notice that I didn't say much, back when you first talked about how you were leaving the team? And when Fox talked about resigning?" Katt asked.

"I...I did, yes," Krystal answered. "Katt, is that what you wanted to talk with me about?"

Katt looked like she was trying to figure out how to say something, before she just shook her head in exasperation.

"I never told anyone else besides Falco why I joined you guys so suddenly," she said. "And though the birdbrain might object to this, I need to tell you now."

Krystal twitched an ear in confusion. "Katt, forgive me for being blunt, but what does that have to do with what's going on between me and Fox?"

More silence.

"I almost died on a mission before I came to you guys," said Katt.

Krystal actually tripped and fell into the sand. She got up, and looked at Katt for a long time.

"Katt...I...what?" Krystal asked.

"It was a bounty. The targets were more well armed than intel told me," she said simply, looking back at the horizon.

For a long moment, Katt didn't say anything else. Then she continued. "I'm a pretty good pilot, Krys. So I didn't blink when my client told me he wanted three brothers dead. Three brothers that had hurt a lot of people. I accepted because the money was good, and because every so often I like a good deed done. Well, turns out there was more than three. There was actually five."

Katt chuckled humorlessly. "I was set up! That client was a friend of a target I had bagged some time ago. They wanted me dead. Really badly. So, there I was, more outnumbered than ever, and knowing pretty clearly that I was about to die."

Krystal saw the tears fall. Katt still didn't look at her.

"And as I was being chased, you know what my eyes fell on at one moment? An old picture of me and Falco after I won a bikini contest on Zoness. You can see he's trying to stop that wondering eye of his. It's typical Falco in every way," she said, her voice breaking a little. "But at that moment, I really got scared of dying. Why? Not because all that money I'd been saving over the years was about to go to waste. Not because I was about to get scrubbed by five jerks purely because they had gotten the jump on me. No…"

Katt swallowed.

"I got scared because it hit me that I was never going to see Falco again. That I was about to die alone in space, and Falco wasn't with me," she said. "That I was never going to be able to tell Falco that, despite all the crap we've gotten into over the years...Krystal, damn it, I love that stupid bird."

Now she was crying harder, sobbing quietly. Krystal pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back.

"How?" Krystal whispered. "How did you get out alive?"

"A small Cornerian air patrol stumbled across our chase. I barely made it. My poor Kat's Paw couldn't take much more abuse," she said quietly. "The instant I was able to leave, I flew straight to the Great Fox. I knew right then I couldn't wait any longer. And if Falco couldn't respect that, than...I don't want to think about what would have happened."

Krystal smiled warmly, feeling a fresh happiness for Katt and Falco. She felt proud of the avian.

"And he did understand," Krystal whispered.

Katt broke away from the hug. "He did," she said, sighing lovingly. "Falco's like that. He's a jerk, but you will never find a more loyal friend and lover when the chips are down. He accepted me with open arms."

Katt took a moment to collect herself, before giving Krystal a serious look.

"Krystal, I'm telling you this because you have a point about wanting to leave for your relationship's sake. But whether you like it or not, Fox has a point too," said the pink feline.

Krystal looked at her feet.

"Krystal...death changes things. The near experience of it, in my instance. I...I will guiltily admit that I liked being a little aloof with Falco. It was all part of the teasing. And I could tell Falco didn't mind terribly. But...after that incident I couldn't do it anymore. I just couldn't," said Katt.

"And," she continued, "That's where you and Fox are coming from. You don't want Fox to die, and you also don't want him to have to experience you dying. But you can't ask him to leave the team. So you decide to leave. It makes sense. But Fox, thinking only of you, plans to resign so that you can keep piloting. And the most frustrating thing? Both you and Fox are very much right in making those decisions."

Krystal looked at the horizon, and imagined what Fox might be thinking right now.

"I want you two to figure something out. And...maybe telling you this story will help you do that. I hope so," said Katt.

Krystal kept looking out to sea. Katt's words resounded in her mind.

She had plenty of thinking to do.

"Katt," she whispered, looking over at her with a smile, "thank you."

Katt walked up and gave her a hug.

"I'm guessing you'll be coming back to the hospital when you're ready?" Katt asked.

Krystal nodded.

The two parted ways, and for a long time Krystal kept walking, until she found a secluded spot to think under the stars.

* * *

Late at night, Krystal walked back to the hospital, and back to Fox's room; the guards and nurses knew who she was, and made no objections to her late entry.

Fox had fallen asleep. His rhythmic breaths calmed her greatly. She smiled lovingly at him, as she took her spot by his bed, and lowered her head to sleep.

* * *

The vixen awoke to the sensation of someone stroking her cheek fluff. Slowly she opened her eyes to see Fox looking at her. He smiled when he noticed she was awake, though Krystal could sense trepidation in him. Their argument from last night must still be fresh in his mind

She sat up and yawned, and the two of them just stared at each other awkwardly. Krystal was reminded of the early days of their relationship, before they grew especially close.

She opened her muzzle to speak, but Fox raised his hand, with a pleading look on his face.

"Krys," he said, "Let me speak. Please."

She really wanted to speak first, but she nodded.

"Krystal," he began, "I understand why you want to be the one to leave. I really do. And…you have no idea how it makes me feel to know that you would leave this team if it meant making me feel comfortable. But..."

Fox took a deep breath. "I can't back down here, Krystal. I just can't. I need to be the one to do this. You see, right before I woke up, I had a dream. And I've been having it since then."

"What kind of dream?" Krystal asked.

"It's one of those weird dreams," Fox said, "the ones where my father talks to me."

Krystal was all ears now. Whenever Fox talked about his father telling him something from beyond the grave, it was important.

"He...he told not to make the same mistake he did," said Fox. "I didn't know what that meant at first, but then I thought about it and realized that...that he was telling me that I need to hang up my flight jacket. I think he views it as a mistake that he never got out of piloting once he married my mother. After I was born, in particular."

Fox shook his head. "I was surprised to realize that. But I understand why he's telling me this. I can't risk this anymore. Not with you in my life. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and I'm not about to die and leave you. I won't cut our time short like that."

He shifted uncomfortably. "I...well, I had thoughts about asking you to leave with me, but I can't do that. I won't force those decisions on you. It makes me nervous to have you fly without me, but I won't stop you from doing what you love-"

"Fox," she whispered.

Startled, he looked at her.

"Yes?" he said.

All of what she thought about last night came to the forefront of her mind. And after hearing all that Fox had to say, she had the feeling now that what she had decided was right.

"You don't want me to make that sacrifice, right?"

Fox blinked.

"Well, yeah," he said. "I won't make you-"

"You've made plenty of sacrifices already, Fox," she said.

For the second time, Fox was startled.

"After that first incident," she said, "when I was burned. It must have taken a lot to keep me on the team, right? Considering how afraid you were of what could have happened. I remember what you felt like back then, Fox. You were scared. Deeply scared. Having been through you being injured, I can see that the fear you must have had back then was so...terrible. I could detect it with my mind, and I knew that you only meant well. But to feel it, actually feel it...Fox, it was no small feat for you to keep me on the team."

"Krys," Fox objected, "No, I kept you on the team-"

"Because you loved me," she finished for him, "And because you couldn't bear to hurt me, even if meant having to face that fear. And all the more, because you found out that I loved you. Sure, we were lucky to not have a major accident until now, but what would have happened if I-or you-had nearly been killed shortly after we confessed?"

Fox looked lost. She cupped his face in her hands.

"You let me stay, even in the face of that. You would sacrifice your peace of mind if it meant making me happy."

Fox tried to look away, but she kept his gaze on her. She petted his cheek, not wanting him to be nervous.

"You've...you've done so much for me, Fox. You gave me a home, a new family. And you gave me you. I've never loved someone as much as I love you, Fox. Every time I'm with you, I'm just so happy. And I know how happy I make you. It's written on your face right now, actually."

Fox was blushing wildly at her words. It was looking like his ears were about to burst into flames. He could barely look her in the eye, and Krystal forgot the gravity of the situation briefly to fawn over how precious he looked.

"Fox," she cooed. "Look at me."

Meekly, he did.

"Fox, for all you've done for me...I can't just stand by while you leave. You told me you don't have a plan after this team. And that's why I offered to leave. It's why I was so adamant about you not leaving. So if you are leaving, and I can't change your mind...then I'm coming with you."

Fox gasped. "Krys..." he whispered.

"Fox," she said resolutely. "You've already made sacrifices for me. If I can't stop you from thinking of me, than I'm going think of you. I'm making this sacrifice with you."

Fox looked completely lost again.

"You'd come with me?" he said. "You'd...you'd throw away being an ace pilot, for me?"

"You're worth it, Fox," she said gently, smiling down at him.

Those words had an impact. A warm feeling, something with joy and surprise, bubbled inside of Fox. It was like sunshine. It made her smile so much wider, and as a smile appeared on Fox's muzzle, she couldn't help but giggle.

"I...still don't have a plan," Fox whispered. He was getting lost in her eyes again.

"We'll make one," she answered, losing herself in his eyes, "together."

She felt the happiness within him spike higher than ever, and he closed the distance between them. It was passionate kiss, and she stroked his face with one hand and held his hand up with another. He shivered at her touch and her lips, and when they pulled away he sighed, ecstasy written on his eyes.

"Krystal," he said quietly, "can you reach under my pillow?"

She blinked at the request. Maybe it was the heat of the moment, but she did so without asking what could be under there. She was dazed to find a grey box, wrapped in a blue bow.

"Fox," she whispered. "What...how did this-?"

"Peppy," he said. "he gave it to me after he left. I ordered a present for you."

"What's the occasion?" she asked.

Fox just shrugged, smiling goofily.

"Cheeky, Foxy-Woxy," she said, pinching his cheek.

She got rid of the bow slowly, to tease him. But whatever flirty feelings she had disappeared when she saw what was inside. She gasped, and held her paw to her muzzle.

It was little grey box. A ring box.

She knew something like this was coming. She'd already said yes. But seeing this...She felt tears, and before she knew it she was crying. Fox, gently, took the box from her hands, and opened it facing her.

A beautiful silver band, with a sapphire and garnet next to each other. Orange and blue.

Fox was crying too.

"Fox..." she said.

He took the ring out of the box, and gently took her hand. She let him slip the ring on her finger.

"Krystal..." he whispered, smiling like crazy and crying. "I know I can't kneel, and I know you already said so before, but...will you really marry me?"

"Yes," she replied instantly.

Fox looked at her, and then the ring on her finger, and then back at her. All that she could feel within him was happiness. Pure, wonderful happiness.

"I've dreamed about this," he said, "dreamed about having you with me like this."

"So have I," she replied.

For a long moment they sat there, and she saw with alarm that Fox's crying intensified, with me choking back small sobs.

"Fox," she cooed, "what's wrong?"

"Krys," he said, "Krys, I'm...Krystal, I'm just so happy."

She kissed him gently then, her own tears falling and mixing with his. When she pulled away, she noticed she was crying a little harder.

"I am too, Fox," she said. "I am too."


	7. Chapter 7

I'M NOT DEAD.

Sorry for the wait! Life happened, along with other writing. But here it is! And it's a long chapter too, so there's plenty to read. As always, thank you to whitefur for his proofreading and input. He's awesome!

Please read and review! God bless and be safe, and have a great night.

* * *

Chapter VII: Baby Steps

"So here it is," said Dr. Edgar—a Sheep dog—pointing to the holographic schematic of Fox's soon-to-be robotic leg. Krystal, along with the rest of the team, were in Fox's room listening to the doctor tell them about Fox. "As you can see, it's not bulky in the least, made of the sturdiest metal available, impervious to rust, and light-weight enough that you won't have to hobble when you walk. In other words, we've made the limb as comfortable as possible. The only trial in its usage will be the physical therapy you undergo afterword, Mr. McCloud."

Krystal looked at the schematics with a hopeful smile. The inner workings of the field of prosthetic limbs were an enigma to her, but she had no reason to think the doctor wasn't telling the truth. And it did look much a normal vulpine leg. She looked around the hospital room, and her friends had much the same expression. Peppy in particular looked pleased with himself.

"Looks good, doc," said Fox. "However...I've heard about the attaching operations for prosthetics."

Krystal immediately felt the mood in the room drop.

"What?" she asked. "What's there to hear about those operations?"

Fox looked at her with a worried look.

"Well," began Dr. Edgar, "attachment operations are dependent upon making sure the nerves of the patient connect with the inner workings of the prosthetic limb. As such...we are not able to numb the patient to the operation. Unfortunately, pain is the best indicator that the limb is connecting adequately to the nervous system."

Krystal blinked.

"What!?" she yelled. "You mean to tell me that Fox will not be under anesthesia?"

Fox clasped her hand in his. "Krystal, listen, this is a necessary part-"

"There's no other way to do this?" Krystal pushed, standing up and getting in the doctors face. "Absolutely none?"

"No, Miss Krystal," said the doctor apologetically. "It's...it's the shameful weakness of prosthetic technology, but we assure you that Mr. McCloud will have a perfectly functioning limb by the end of it."

"That doesn't make it any less barbaric," said Krystal.

"Krystal," said Peppy, walking up beside her, "I know this is upsetting. But it's the only option. You need to calm down, please."

Krystal looked at Peppy, and sighed. "I know," she said. "I know this is the best option. But I don't care what regulations you may have, I will be staying at my fiancé's bedside when that operation begins."

The stunned silence that followed reminded Krystal that her and Fox hadn't disclosed that surprise yet. She looked around at her friends; all of them giving her surprised looks. She lowered her ears and blushed.

_This must have been how Fox felt after the mission on Sauria during the Aperoid Invasion,_ thought Krystal, blushing.

"Ahem," said the doctor, calming himself. "I see. In that case, Miss Krystal, I have no objections. Barring any more questions, I'll be leaving now to finalize some matters before we begin the operation tomorrow. Do you have anymore questions, Mr. McCloud?"

Fox shook his head.

"All right then," said the doctor. "I'll see you all tomorrow. Oh, and congratulations you two." With that, the doctor left the room.

Krystal surveyed the room. Falco, Peppy, Katt, Slippy, Amanda, and Bill were all looking at the two of them. She looked down at her feet and shuffled them, before Fox chuckled.

"Well," he said, "yeah. So we're engaged now, guys!"

Falco just gave Fox a knowing smirk.

"You're about to say you all could see this coming, aren't you," said Fox in perfect deadpan.

"Well," said Peppy, shrugging with a smirk of his own, "I mean, what else do you want us to say? Other than congratulations, of course. I'm very happy for the two of you."

"Thank you, Peppy," said Krystal with a smile.

"What I will say is, me and Slippy better be best men for you, Foxy," said Falco. "Because otherwise we are totally crashing that wedding."

"I will end you," said Fox.

"Now, now," said Katt, giggling. "Now's not the time to fight. But really, congratulations you too! When's the wedding? And how's the ring, Krystal?"

Krystal bashfully showed her hand, the ring glistening with its orange and blue stones. "We haven't even thought about that yet," she said.

"Wow," said Katt, gazing at the ring. "You did good captain."

"I'll say," said Bill, getting a closer look. "Dropping a pretty penny on your woman already, eh Fox?"

"Only the best," said Fox.

"It's the right attitude," said Amanda, smiling and ribbing her husband.

"Oh, of course," said Slippy.

They talked for a while longer, about the operation and the trials to come. Krystal stayed out of the conversation to think. About the operation, about the physical therapy, and about the future. What would her and Fox do in the future? It was a scary question, but she figured that her and Fox would think of something. As long as they had one another, they would make it.

Visiting hours ended, and Krystal and Fox's friends shuffled out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. Krystal was grateful the nurses had made an exception for her with her visits. There would have been plenty of shouting and demanding otherwise.

"Nice slip up there, Krys," said Fox teasingly.

"Oh, hush," she replied, batting one of his ears. "Like you haven't made the occasional slip."

"I'm the champion in that regard," Fox replied, "but it's funny to see it happen to you. You look cute when you're shy."

"Stop turning my compliments back at me," Krystal replied with a grin, scratching Fox between his ears and getting a sigh from him. She continued to scratch, watching happily that Fox's leg was beginning to kick. Such a good boy.

"Fox?" she asked, stopping the scratching and settling into just petting him. "What do you think we'll do when we get out of the hospital?"

"Hmmm" Fox hummed, "Well...the wedding, obviously. And that's really all I have right now. I know that's not optimal, though."

"It's fine," said Krystal. "After all that's happened, I don't really have anything in mind either. We'll have plenty of time to think, though."

"Yes," said Fox, looking at her with a loving smile. "We will, dear."

Krystal blinked, and put on a silly grin. "Oh, we're starting that already?"

"Why not?" asked Fox. "It feels good to say it."

"I'm sure it does, darling," said Krystal. Her ears perked up. "Oh wow, it does feel better."

Fox was blushing hotly. "It does," he said.

Krystal continued to pet Fox until his eyes grew heavy, and he kissed her goodnight. Krystal followed with a kiss of her own, and slept with happy dreams.

* * *

The next day, in the morning, the operation began. Fox lay in his hospital bed, watching the nurses and doctors around him hustle around his hospital room. Krystal, meanwhile, was getting tenser and tenser as time went on. The nurses weren't helping this.

"Ma'am," said one of the nurses in exasperation, "I'm telling you, visitors are not allowed-"

"Just wait until Dr. Edgar gets here, and he'll explain that he made an exception for me. I'm not moving," said Krystal, clutching Fox's hand and looking at the vixen nurse with a challenging look. The nurse sighed and walked away.

"Krystal, are you sure you want to stay? I can make it," said Fox.

"Fox," said Krystal, "Like I said, I am not moving. I'm going to sit in on this operation whether you like it or not."

"All right," said Fox. "I won't stop you. Just don't give the nurses a hard time."

"You're assuming that I will? That nurse was telling me to leave, despite me saying I was allowed to stay," said Krystal.

"Well, they do need to do their job," said Fox. "But still, the doctor did make an exception. So I'm sure they can manage it."

"I just...if you're going to be in pain, Fox, I'd rather be right next to you than outside of this room and unable to help," said Krystal.

The vixen could feel a wave of love wash off from Fox. "Thank you, Krystal. That means a lot."

She kissed him on the cheek. "Of course," she said.

A moment later, Dr. Edgar walked in, followed by other surgical staff. He regarded the two foxes with a smile.

"Good to see the both of you in high spirits," said the doctor. "Now, Miss Krystal, are you sure you want to stay for the operation?"

"Yes," Krystal said, nodding.

The doctor nodded back. The leg was brought into the room. Krystal blinked. The first thing she thought about Fox's soon-to-be new leg was that it was beautiful to see in person. Very sleek, with a deceptively muscular look that suited Fox; the todd always made a point to stay in shape. Krystal took comfort in knowing that at the very least, her love's new leg wouldn't be hard on the eyes. She did feel a bit morbid thinking that, however.

The first order of business was unwrapping the bandages from Fox's amputated leg, and preparing it to receive the new leg. Krystal had to look away. Next came preparing the leg itself.

The doctor fiddled with the leg until a cylinder popped out from the knee "end. "After fiddling with the cylinder, Krystal was amazed to see some cords and wires pop out all around the cylinder.

"These," said the doctor, "are what will hurt. These wires act as nerves, allowing for the electronic signals of your brain to move the leg. The process of them connecting to your nervous system will be unpleasant mostly because your body will not know what to do with the leg at first, though after a few seconds the pain will recede."

"How painful will this be?" Fox asked, looking at the wires warily.

"I won't lie; I've seen many a grown adult cry from this part," said the doctor. Krystal's hand tightened around Fox's like a vice grip.

"Well, I've heard worse," said Fox, smirking. "Let's get it over with."

"How many seconds of pain will there be?" Krystal asked.

"Maybe...fifteen, I'd say," said the doctor.

After steeling himself, Fox gave the doctor the go ahead. Dr. Edgar held the leg to the stump's soft flesh, and was ready to enter in the command for the cylinder to release.

"Once I do this," said the doctor, "the cylinder will release the wires immediately. Are you ready, Mr. McCloud?"

"Just get it over with," said Fox. He was biting down on a towel one of the nurses gave him. Krystal still held his hand tightly, mentally preparing herself.

The doctor entered the command.

Krystal's ears were filled with Fox's agonized screaming. Even with the towel in his mouth, his howl was loud and clear, and Krystal held on to his hand so hard she thought she could hear bones cracking. She stroked his cheek as she mentally counted down from fifteen. By and far, the longest fifteen seconds of her life. To her relief, Fox didn't writhe in pain, and his howl eventually subsided into grunts. Tears gathered at the corner of his eye. Mentally, however, it was so much worse. She felt his inner cries and screams, and his pain was hers. She cried too, and thought that she would give anything to take some of his pain to lighten the burden.

In the midst of this she looked up and her eyes widened in amazement. She could see the wires from the leg moving underneath Fox's skin, stretching and searching like tentacles or roots. Fox's upper leg was twitching, no doubt with pain. Krystal couldn't imagine what it felt like, to have something foreign entering her body and trying to establish itself. Sure, there was that Krazoa spirit on Sauria so long ago, but this was different; this was a physical object being introduced. Fox's body was not only in pain, but also in a troubling fit of confusion. She had to tell herself that the new leg was a good thing, and that those wires met no harm.

A few moments later, it was abruptly over. Fox had fainted, and Krystal took to petting his cheek and wiping the sweat from his brow with a damp towel. She could feel, with her powers, that he was completely knocked out.

"The operation was a success," said Dr. Edgar in relief. "No complications."

"How do you know?" said Krystal. She glared at the doctor; to her surprise, she wanted to hate him, even though Fox's pain had been necessary.

"Look at his leg," said the doctor.

Krystal did and saw the wires, now blue under the skin, throbbing. They had settled down, and now looked just like roots from a tree. Well, a blue tree.

"The wires have settled," said the doctor. "Later, we'll need to begin physical therapy, but for now, Mr. McCloud needs to rest. And I'm supposing that you will be staying at his bedside?"

"Yes," said Krystal resolutely.

With that, the nurses and doctors left, leaving her with Fox as she continued to wipe his sweat away and pet his face. She smiled when she saw his ears twitch. He was sleeping peacefully. A little bit later, his eyes opened, and she kissed him on the lips.

"A nice wake up," said Fox tiredly. His voice was hoarse.

"Mmmhmm," said Krystal, still petting him. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"Yeah," said Fox. "Gosh, that hurt. The doctor wasn't lying."

"I felt some of it," said Krystal. "With my powers."

Fox gave her a guilty look. "Oh...Krystal, I'm so-"

She interrupted him with a finger to his muzzle. "Hush. Feeling your pain gave me all the more strength to comfort you. It kept us connected. And for that, I'm blessed."

Fox starting blushing again, and she giggled. "There's an expression I like to see," she said lovingly.

They sat in silence, before a thought occurred to Krystal when she gazed at her wedding ring.

"Fox," she said, "there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Hmm?" hummed Fox.

"It's something that has to do with Cerinian marriage. An important tradition," she said.

"Tell me," said Fox. She noticed he looked eager. Adorable. His ears were all perked up.

"Well," she said happily, her tail wagging. "You know you've gotten comfortable with my powers, right? My mind has a familiar feel to you, as your does to mine?"

"Yeah," said Fox. "It feels good when you poke around in there."

"There's a way to enhance that," said Krystal. "It's an important tradition. You see, when two Cerinians are engaged, or when just one of the pair is a Cerinian, before the wedding ceremony they preform what's called The Bonding Ritual. It's a way to link the two minds together in a very intimate way."

"Tell me more," said Fox, leaning forward. She was relieved to see he was so interested.

"With this ritual," she said, "we...we will be able to experience one another in a way we've never felt before. My parents once told me it was the most magical feeling in the world, but they also said words don't do it justice. They said that they could feel each other more deeply and more profoundly then ever before. It was a bond of the soul and mind. That was the only way they knew how to describe it."

Fox thought this over, and Krystal could sense some trepidation. Which was normal. Fox wasn't Cerinian, and this was new to him.

"Will it work for me?" Fox asked.

Krystal nodded. "I've heard stories of Cerinians and Non-Cerinians bonding together. The effects on the non-Cerinian are interesting. Apparently, they actually gain telepathic powers. Not just a weak power, but something equal to a natural born Cerinian."

Fox's eyes widened. Indeed, it was a lot to take in.

"And..you said it was a bond of soul and mind, right?" Fox asked.

"Yes," said Krystal.

"Well, will I...don't take this the wrong way, Krystal, but will I still be me? I mean, with your powers, it's great. You respect my privacy, but can connect with me. Will it be like that, but stronger?"

"Fox, don't worry," said Krystal warmly. "You'll still be you, of course. Just think of it this way. When I connect with you now, think of my powers as a stream of water coming from a faucet. It's a steady stream, that can be turned off and on. With this ritual, that stream will become a roaring stream, with more pressure, but it still can be controlled. We will be able to connect more deeply than we've ever been able too."

Krystal saw the look of wonder pass over Fox's face. "You mean...stronger than I've ever felt?" he asked.

"Exactly," said Krystal.

"Then I want to do it," said Fox. "I would love to feel you that way. I've always enjoyed your powers, you know. I can only imagine how amazing it will feel after we do this."

"I will feel amazing, I should think," said Krystal. "Though, Foxey, you'll have to be patient. It's only something we can do before the wedding itself. Whenever you'd like that to be."

"Let's shoot for this weekend," said Fox, with a goofy smile. "They can marry us in a hospital room, can't they?"

Krystal rolled her eyes and kissed Fox on the lips.

* * *

The very next day in Fox's hospital room, the physical therapy process started.

For a moment, Krystal thought this was sudden, but the doctor stressed that the sooner they began the Physical Therapy process, the faster Fox would be able to leave. And for Krystal, that was welcome news. She didn't want Fox to stay here any longer than what was necessary.

The earliest exercise was simple. Just getting the leg to move was the objective; this mean small extensions. Krystal volunteered to hold the leg in her hands while Fox extended the leg back and fourth. Or at least attempted too. The first day was a disappointing one.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Fox, scowling at his new limb and only being able to make the leg move just slightly. "I thought this was the most advanced prosthetic technology there is! How in the world is it this stiff?"

"You're body is still getting used to it," said Doctor Edgar calmly, observing what movements Fox was capable of. "The only way for it too adjust is repeated movements like this. It's a long process, Mr. McCloud. You'll have to be patient."

Fox grumbled, staring daggers at his leg.

"Fox," said Krystal gently, "calm down. Getting mad at it won't make it work."

Fox sighed. "I know, I know," he replied.

Two days later Fox was met with some kind of success.

"There we go!" said Fox triumphantly. He'd managed to, slowly, extend his leg fully, and contract it all the same. The doctor, and his friends, we're pleased with the process.

"There ya go, Foxy," said Falco with a grin. "You look like one of those models doing that sexy kick in a bath tub. You and Blueness should duo a modeling career!"

"Katt," said Fox seriously, "hit him."

"I don't have to take orders from you anymore, Fox," said Katt teasingly.

"Starting to regret the resignation?" said Peppy.

"Ever so slightly," said Fox in defeat. Krystal giggled. It was nice to see everyone in high spirits.

"Mr. McCloud?" said a voice over the room intercom. "You have someone coming up to visit you. We asked them to wait for us to ring you, but...they are already in the elevator, most likely."

Unease fell over the room.

"Who is it?" said Fox.

"One Fay Spaniel. Do you know her?" asked the voice.

Krystal beamed.

"Yes," said Fox, smiling. "It's no problem."

"Carry on, then," said the voice. The intercom turned off.

"Krystal," said Fox, "you've got to stop her from hugging me, otherwise she's going to really break my ribs this time-"

"FOX!" cried a voice from the hallway.

Krystal blinked exactly once. When she opened her eyes, the tall form of Fay Spaniel had already wrapped Fox in an embrace, burying his head in her chest.

"I was on the first flight to Katina the moment I got the news!" Fay cried, tears in her eyes. "Oh my goodness, Fox, thank god you're alright! I couldn't sleep during the whole trip."

"Fay," said Fox, "It hurts...stop hugging me so tightly..."

"Oh no!" said Fay, recoiling back and putting her hands on her muzzle. "Are you alright?"

Fox took a moment to breath, steadying himself. "Now I am. But, Fay! It's good to see you."

"Well if it isn't the diva herself," said Falco with a smirk. "Fay, how ya been? It's been ages."

"It has been a while," said Peppy, smiling as well. "Fay, how are you?"

"Hi everyone!" said the spaniel, looking around the room. Krystal could sense the young woman was back to her bubbly, hyperactive self. "It's rare I get to see you all. At least some good came out of Fox's injury, as horrible as it feels to say that." Her ears drooped.

"That's not the only good that's happened recently," said Slippy, smiling at Fox and Krystal.

"Hm?" said Fay, following Slippy's gaze and looking at the two foxes. "Did something else happen? What's going on? Tell me!"

_Do we tell her? _asked Fox mentally, looking at Krystal with a grin.

Krystal's answer was to raise her hand, palm facing down, smiling warmly. Fay's eyes found the ring in an instant.

The ear-piercing shriek that shook the room afterward almost made Krystal regret that decision, but Fay's absolutely gleeful expression afterward erased that sentiment completely.

"Oh my gosh," said Fay, rushing up to Krystal and pulling her into a hug. "Congratulations you two! It finally happened! Oh my gosh this is just amazing!" She let go of Krystal and started practically bouncing in place. "I need to tell Miyu and Fara. Or would you rather tell them in person?"

"Are they already on their way?" asked Fox.

"Yup," said Fay. "Both of them should be arriving tomorrow. Fara is gonna be so happy, Fox! You know how she was when she first met Krystal. She was one-hundred percent certain this was gonna happen."

"And here we are," said Krystal warmly.

"And here we are!" said Fay giddily. "Miyu should be happy too! Well, she'll try to be all not-surprised and everything, but you know that lynx. Tries to act cool but she'll be as giddy was I am. I'll be sure to be here when they come along."

"You're staying nearby?" Fox asked.

"Yup! My ship's living quarters are big enough. I do run in style, after all," said the Spaniel, winking at him.

* * *

Just like yesterday, the whole crew—now with Fay in tow—were in the hospital room watching Fox work at extensions and contractions and talking amongst themselves.

Seeing Fay and knowing other friends were on the way did wonders for Fox's conviction. The next day in physical therapy, Fox's extensions became faster, and ever-so more fluid. Krystal was very happy for the change in attitude.

"Do you think I'll be able to walk, doc?" asked Fox.

"Walking and extensions are two different things, Mr. McCloud. Two more days of this, and we'll begin exercises to help you walk. And they won't be easy," said Dr. Edgar.

The dampened mood that settled in Fox's mind made Krystal resent the doctor's presence in the hospital room, even if he was right.

"Will we be able to engrave our names on the metal, Fox?" asked Fay, tail wagging. "I think that would be sweet."

"Depends on the message," said Fox. "What were you thinking of?"

"Just names and messages of encouragement," said Fay.

"I'd like that," said Fox, smiling.

"I was thinking something like, 'property of Falco Lombardi,'" said Falco.

"Katt, seriously, hit him." said Fox, frowning while everyone had a chuckle at that.

"How about, 'property of Krystal McCloud?'" said Krystal, tickling Fox under the chin. The blush she got for that made her giggle.

"I wouldn't mind that," said Fox quietly, looking adorable.

"Kinky," said Falco.

The sound of Katt slapping Falco upside the head filled the room.

"Hey! That wasn't that bad," said the avian.

"I gotta give Fox something," said Katt slyly.

The same voice from yesterday beeped over the intercom. Two visitors we're headed their way.

"Yay!" said Fay. "They're here!"

A few minutes later, the doors opened.

In stepped a tan-colored fennec fox, wearing a blue turtleneck and jeans. It was a very professional look, and her expression brightened when she saw Fox laying on his hospital bed. Behind her stood a lynx, wearing a flight suit and jacket, with an ear pierced. Her expression was more restrained, but to anyone that knew her, that small smile she was wearing spoke volumes.

"Fox!" said the fennec, walking up to his bedside. "Oh, thank goodness, you're alright. I looked up details about the accident, and…thank goodness."

"Nice to see you, Fara," said Fox. "Don't worry, I'm alright. Sans a leg, but alright."

The lynx walked up to his bedside as well, looking him over once.

"Good to know you're still a tough nut to crack, Fox," said the lynx, reaching down and messing with Fox's headfur, smiling. "They'll take your leg, but they won't take your life, eh?"

"Good to know you're still the same as always, Miyu," said Fox with a wry grin.

"And it's good to see that you're alright too, Krystal," said Fara, walking over to her and embracing her. "I can't imagine what that accident must have been for you especially."

Krystal returned the hug, and with all politeness said, "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Fair enough," said Miyu. "I looked up details about the engagement. Jeez, to think Katina had a weapon like that rotting away, waiting for some pirates to take it. I hope Bill is on everyone's ass right now."

"As Krystal said, someone got fired," Slippy grumbled.

"That's quite the prosthetic," said Fara, looking the leg over. "At least you're being taken care of."

"Peppy paid for it," said Fay, looking at the leg herself. "The best money can buy."

"I wasn't about to leave Fox with something subpar," said Peppy. "Especially considering this accident was largely due to a buearacratic failure. But moving on. It's nice to see you two ladies again. Seeing Fox surrounded by friends like this does my old heart good."

"And it certainly is an old heart, right?" said Miyu, looking over at Peppy with a wry smile. Peppy gave her a flat look.

Fara reached down and petted Fox on the head, smiling warmly. "I'm just happy you're alright, Fox."

Krystal smiled, feeling the content emotions radiating from Fox. Fara was like a sister to him, so her comfort was always welcomed. And Miyu's wit was always nice to have around. In the corner of her eye she caught movement, and she saw Fay waggling her eyebrows at her.

Krystal smirked and shook her head. "Actually, you two, me and Fox have a special announcement."

"Oh, did you guys get hitched?" asked Miyu, ears perking up.

Silence fell over the room.

"I swear I didn't tell her," said Fay.

"What?" said Miyu, shrugging. "I've been wondering about this for years. It's not like no one saw it."

Fox buried his face in his hands.

"The ride never ends," said Falco, trying to contain his laughter.

Fara, on the other hand, was beaming with excitement. "Really? He asked you, Krystal?"

Krystal showed her the ring, and the delighted expression on Fara's face warmed her heart.

"Oh my goodness," said Fara, taking Krystal's hand in hers. "It's beautiful. Fox, I can see you went all out with the gemstones."

"Anything for the best girl in the universe," said Fox.

"Oh gag," said Miyu, though she was smiling herself. "I hope during the honeymoon you get all this mushiness out of your system."

_There will be plenty to do during the honeymoon,_ Krystal thought to Fox. His face quickly warmed up.

"I'm very happy for the both of you," said Fara, tail wagging. "Keep me and everyone else posted about wedding plans. Oh! And if you need any help, be sure to contact me, alright?"

"We will, Fara," said Fox. Krystal loved how cheerful he looked. "First though, I gotta get out of this hospital."

* * *

Two days later, Fox began his first walking exercises.

The physical therapy room was a small fitness area filled with various tools and instruments for adjustment to prosthetic limbs, like medicine balls for arms and augmented workout machines for legs. For Fox, two wooden hand rails parallel to one another and with enough space to walk through in between were his set up.

"The important thing," said the Physical Therapy instructor, "is that you take it slow. Don't push yourself too hard."

"Do you understand, Fox?" said Krystal, standing next to him as he readied himself on the bars.

"Yes," said Fox in reply.

The only one of Fox's friends who could come was Krystal, only because she insisted. The instructor figured crowding the room would only add to stress levels. Krystal was glad for the leeway.

Fox began to move, moving his normal leg first and stopping in shock when he tried to move the prosthetic.

"Fox?" said Krystal in concern, moving close and putting her hand over his.

"It's just a lot harder than I imagined," Fox said, scowling at his metal leg.

"That's what they all say," said the instructor mirthfully. "Like I said, take it slow."

Krystal knew the instructor meant well, but she could sense Fox's stress levels rising. He was frustrated.

With some exertion, he got the metal leg to move. He smiled, moved his hands on the bars, and moved his other leg again. The scowl came back when it came time to move the prosthetic, this time with more intensity.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me," said Fox. "I just got it to move!"

"Take it slow," said Krystal, sill clasping his hand.

"I know, Krys," said Fox. He was annoyed. She still held on though. What if he fell?

The metal leg only twitched.

"Take smaller steps," said the instructor. Krystal could sense that advice only added to Fox's frustration.

Fox," said Krystal as gently as possible. "Calm down."

"I am calm," said Fox. "Please stop touching my hand."

"I just want to be there in case you fall," she said.

"I'm not going to fall, Krystal," said Fox, looking down at his leg with a glare. "Please let go."

"Fox," she said, "you have to calm-"

"Krystal, I am calm!" Fox shouted, whipping his head around to look at her. "Now let go of me!"

Krystal flinched back and took her hand off of his. She stared at him in shock.

In only took a second or two for Fox to realize what had happened. He took a deep breath and didn't move, and she saw the realization form on his face. He slumped his shoulders and folded his ears back in shame. The stress and anger had left him, and was now replaced with guilt and shame.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry."

He was genuinely sorry, but Krystal kept her hand away from his, though she still hovered close by.

"It's fine," she said quietly.

Fox went back to trying to move. He got more steps in, baby steps practically. Then, at one point, he grew frustrated at the leg again, trying to jerk it ahead; he fell forward, his hands slipping off the bars.

Krystal was there in an instant, catching and holding him in her arms.

"Krystal?" Fox said quietly, looking at her, ears getting hot.

"I've got you," she said.

"I thought you would have let me fall," said Fox. "Serves me right for—"

She interrupted him with a finger to his lips.

"You were frustrated. This is a difficult time for you. It's fine," she said. "Fox, don't you dare think I would let you fall just because you snapped at me."

Fox smiled, and leaned against her as she helped him stand.

* * *

The day after that they repeated the walking exercise. Fox let Krystal hover over him, and Krystal understood when he needed his space. Afterward, Krystal took a wheel-chair bound Fox to the hospital gardens. The area was meant as a calming place for helping patients in the midst of frustrating or painful treatment. Krystal admired its beauty. It was a large, circular area, with green grass and patches of flowers, with trees providing shade. It was a comfortable Katinian evening, and this place felt heavenly.

Krystal took Fox underneath one of the trees and sat down across from him, taking out a tub of sandwiches and a fork and knife from a pouch behind the wheel chair.

"You think I can be out of here in a month's time?" asked Fox.

"I really do hope so," said Krystal, taking the sandwiches and cutting them into smaller bits. "I'm as eager as you are to be out of here."

"Can't wait to get married?" Fox asked.

"That, and I just want to put this incident behind us," said Krystal.

"I couldn't agree more," Fox replied, smiling at her. Krystal smiled back.

The vixen stuck one of the sandwiches bits with a fork and held it up to Fox. He raised an eyebrow.

"I can feed myself, you know," he said.

Krystal smiled a goofy grin. "Say, 'ahhh,' Fox," said Krystal.

Fox rolled his eyes and did so, letting Krystal feed him.

"So where do you want to live?" Fox asked, after he swallowed his bite.

"Hmm?" Krystal hummed.

"Where do you want to live?" Fox asked. "I mean, after we get married."

The thought of a comfortable home with Fox filled Krystal with happiness, and with shock she realized she hadn't thought about this much, what with the business of Fox's leg. Now, she imagined images of domestic bliss for the two of them. After all that had happened, peaceful images of the two of them as a married couple did wonders for her.

"Well," she began, smiling. "Where were you thinking of living?"

"You can't just turn the question on me like that," said Fox, smiling back. "But, if you want to know, I was thinking of either Corneria or Papetoon."

"Papetoon. It's a quaint place, I must say," said Krystal, feeding Fox another piece and humming to herself.

Fox blushed. "It is my home. And…we could live in my old house."

Krystal grew concerned. "Would you be comfortable?" she asked.

"There are plenty of memories in that place," Fox replied. "And...thinking about them does hurt sometimes. But honestly, with what I'm fortunate enough to have now, I don't think they will hurt anymore."

Krystal blushed. "There is something nice about how quiet it is there," she said.

"It's low key," said Fox. "After how adventurous our mercenaries days were, maybe it would be nice to live somewhere quiet. Plus, Fara lives there. As does Fay."

"Friends would be close by," Krystal acknowledged. "What about Corneria?"

Fox smiled. "Corneria is my home away from home. It's a nice place, and you've become familiar with it too. There certainly are plenty of friends close by too, and more stuff to do. It's your call between the two places."

Krystal scratched her chin.

"Fox?" she asked. "Is Corneria fine?"

She expected to see or feel disappointment from Fox, and for only a brief second it was there. But he smiled, genuinely smiled at her, and nodded. "Guess we get to be city foxes for a long time, huh?"

"I felt your disappointment," said Krystal. "Fox, are you sure—"

He waved his hand. "My parent's place can be a summer get-away of sorts. I won't lie and say I don't prefer Papetoon, because I do. But if Corneria is what you want, then that's fine with me, dear."

Krystal leaned forward and kissed him. "There's that "dear" again. I bet it makes you happy to call me that, hmm?" she said teasingly.

"You have no idea," said Fox.

"Well, then, you should know it makes me happy to call you darling," she replied tenderly, stroking his cheek. "As a married vixen."

Fox melted, leaning into her touch and purring. "I guess I better draw up plans for that white picket fence," he murmured.

Krystal wrapped her arms around him and drew him into another kiss.

* * *

That night, the two of them were alone in Fox's room, both of them reading. The comfortable silence was then broken by a beep on Fox's Wrist Comm, sitting by his bedside.

"Now who could that be?" said Fox. Krystal was as curious as he was. Fox reached over and pushed the answer button, and the small holographic image that popped into existence stunned the both of them.

It was Wolf.

In the rush of everything that had happened, Krystal realized then that she almost forgot about Fox's infamous rival.

"There we go," the lupine said, sighing in relief. "Good to know Leon's skills with encrypted frequencies haven't faded. Hello, pup. So the rumors are true about what happened to you."

"Wolf?" said Fox, after blinking hard. "Why are you calling me?"

"To find out if your hide really did almost get skinned," Wolf said after looking at the two of them. "I've got a privileged ear on the rumors of Lylat, so after finding out about what happened on Katina, well...I hope you'll forgive my curiosity, pup."

Krystal felt the hackles on the back of her neck rise. Wolf never bothered her much before, but after the accident, a protective side of her had been born. Fox, she could see, wasn't terribly bothered. He'd dealt with his rival more than enough times to not be nervous anymore.

"Well, those rumors are true," Fox answered. "I lost my leg." His tone was terse.

"And the blue girl has taken to being your nurse. Lucky you," said Wolf, raising his eyebrow.

Krystal barred her teeth. "What's it you?" she said. Fox laid a hand on her arm, turning back to her briefly.

"Nothing at all. Just making an observation," said Wolf, unconcerned at her anger. "Anyway, let me get to the point. How long are you going to be out of commission? Lylat is boring without someone who can actually match me."

Krystal was about to say something, but Fox sent her a telepathic message to let her know he would handle this.

"I'm retiring, Wolf," said Fox evenly.

Wolf blinked exactly once. Some silence followed, before he answered.

"You're not joking," he said.

"No," said Fox, "I'm not."

Wolf looked at the two of them, his hologram staring deeply into Krystal's eyes, and then at the way she was clutching his hand. She knew he figured it out. Wolf was many things. Observant was one of them.

"Oh," he said. "I see."

"Wolf," said Fox, "I've got something to ask you. And I say this as someone who has considered you an equal in piloting."

"I don't need your acknowledgement, pup," said Wolf, sneering. "But fine. What other surprise are you going to unveil? Is she pregnant with your runt?"

A growl arose in Krystal's throat. "No. And you need to change your tone, Wolf," she said.

Wolf just looked at her.

"Wolf," said Fox, clutching Krystal's arm again. "Leave the two of us alone."

Now Wolf blinked twice. "Excuse me?" he said.

"I know you've said that you want to kill me. I know our rivalry has been intense. But I'm done, Wolf. Krystal...she's everything to me now. And I'm ready to settle down with her and live in peace. I'm done with combat now," said Fox.

"And," he continued, "I know you have some honor in you, much as you try to deny it. Wolf, let us live in peace. Me and Krystal have been through enough. I don't want anymore trouble."

Krystal could tell Fox's words were entirely genuine. She was moved by his plea. Wolf, for his part, looked stunned.

"You realize who you're asking, right?" he said.

"Wolf," said Fox. "Please."

"Pup, I've fought you in mortal combat plenty of times. What makes you think I'm going to listen?" Wolf asked, snarling.

"Because I know there's a part of you who will listen. I don't want to fight anymore, Wolf. I've had enough," said Fox. "Please."

Wolf looked at the two of them again. Krystal saw him stare at her hand clutching Fox's, and Fox's hand clutching her arm. Silently, she prayed, hoping that Fox's appeal would work. The last thing she needed was Fox's rival hunting for his life even when he no longer wanted to fight. She couldn't stand to think of Wolf taking Fox away from her.

Wolf looked down, and more silence passed.

"Fine," he answered.

The call ended.


	8. Chapter 8

I'M BACK BABY

And with a huge chapter at that!

Thank you for all of your patience, and I hope you enjoy this. I've been hyped to write this part. I borrowed some of FurFur's creations and no guesses as to who they are. And I'll give him a shout out for listening to me ramble about this chapter.

God bless, and have a good day!

* * *

Chapter VIII: Passing Times

To say that Fox was surprised at Wolf's agreement to leave him and Krystal alone was the understatement of the century. He was flabbergasted.

Fox always held the suspicion that this rivalry was more important to Wolf, than it was to himself. Fox never had much of a beef with him. Really, the only hatred he ever had for Star Wolf extended to Pigma, but he was dead and gone, which just left being wary of them. They were enemies, after all, though they did help his team during the Aperoid Invasion. With Wolf, Fox felt there was a drive within the old lupine, a drive for Wolf to surpass him and truly be considered the best pilot in Lylat. Wolf didn't hate him, he simply wanted to beat him and be at the top.

This made Wolf's acceptance bewildering, even if Fox was happy it worked out. He really did believe that Wolf had some good in him, but he thought that there would be an argument before any acceptance on Wolf's part. But there wasn't. Wolf just said yes, and cut off the comm.

Krystal was quick to be relieved. And why shouldn't she? Since his accident, she had become much more protective of him, and even a bit motherly in terms of her care for him. During the conversation with Wolf, she really did look like would be willing to duel Wolf herself if it meant him backing off. All of this humbled Fox, and he was quick to tell her that she could calm down and move on.

"I know I was being a bit confrontational," Krystal had said. "but I just…"

"I know," said Fox. "You were scared. It's okay."

Now, they were snuggled together in the Great Fox's observation deck, on their way to Corneria. Krystal was already asleep, while Fox was awake looking at the stars and thinking. He'd fought around these stars for a long time. Now, he hoped her would never have to fight again. Retirement felt weird, but at the same time it brought relief.

"This is for the best," he whispered.

Sometime later, there they were, standing in front of his apartment hand in and. It was a warm, clear-sky day, with a light breeze in the air. Fox couldn't think of better weather for such a day.

"It feels weird, said Krystal.

"It does," said Fox. "No more fighting for us. The exit fee for mercenary work was my leg, I guess."

"Fox!" said Krystal, looking at him, shocked. "That was too dark."

"Sorry," he replied quickly. He pulled her into a hug.

"It's fine, it's just soon to joke about that. I don't think I'll ever be able to joke about it," said Krystal, squeezing him in turn. "And while it does feel odd to not have to fight any longer, I've always dreamed of being at this point with you." She gave him a soft smile. "So this feels surreal."

"I've dreamed about it too," said Fox, smiling back. "I remember way back when, I thought I didn't have a chance with you."

"You were selling yourself too short," said Krystal, smirking, hands on her hips.

They looked at each other, smiling, before joining hands and walking into the apartment.

* * *

Time passed, with plenty of moments along the way.

* * *

One morning found the two foxes eating breakfast. Pancakes, and Fox's secret recipe at that, passed down from his mother. It was a rainy day on Corneria, and the thankfully the two of them didn't mind rain at all. Their ears twitched ever so often at the pitter-patter of rain hitting the roof. They found the sound comforting and relaxing.

"I'm thinking of doing some painting," said Fox suddenly. "Of the apartment, I mean."

"That's a random thought," said Krystal. She munched on a pancake before continuing. "What colors were you thinking of?"

"Some softer colors. Maybe some pastels," said Fox. "I get that white and grey is supposed to make this place look sleek, but I'd rather this place look homely."

"This won't be our home for long, Fox," said Krystal, after chuckling for a moment.

"I know," said Fox. "Actually, let's talk that. Upgrading, we can call it."

"Oh yes," said Krystal, smiling widely. "Our dream home."

"I have plenty of money put away, and I know you've done some saving yourself, so I think money is no object in our search."

"For now," said Krystal, "a quaint sized home would be wonderful." Her eyes widened for a moment, before she shook her head while giggling. "Here we are, talking about all of this, and the wedding hasn't even happened yet!"

"I guess we're over-eager then?" Fox asked.

"That's probably it," said Krystal.

"Speaking of eager," said Fox, suddenly smiling slyly. "I was thinking of building a sex pit in our lovely new home."

"Fox!" said Krystal, covering her mouth with her hand and smiling widely. She hooded her gaze and batted her eyes at him. "My, how bold of you."

They shared a laugh at that, although Fox was sure the idea appealed to the both of them.

"There's so many memories here, in this apartment" he said. "This was the first place you lived in on Corneria. Back when you were adjusting to the planet and being trained for the Arwing."

"Peaceful times, and wonderful memories," said Krystal. "But now, we get to make so many more memories."

* * *

One evening, Krystal brought up wedding plans.

"There's someone we can hire to plan for weddings," said Fox. "And we can implement any Cerinian traditions you see fit."

"That's true, and thank you," said Krystal. "Back home, weddings were very public. Though that's not always the case here."

"They can be public, but personally I'd prefer a private ceremony. What do you think?"

"I'm thinking a public ceremony would attract more attention than even I'm comfortable with," said Krystal. "So private is fine. A wedding among friends, and there are other traditions we can implement."

"Like what?"

"Body paint," said Krystal, smiling. "It's a custom that the bride, before the ceremony, marks the groom with special symbols and runes." She licked her lips.

Fox waggled his eyebrows. "You look excited."

"Oh, I am," said Krystal. "Not just for seeing you naked, although that is always a bonus. The painting is supposed to be an intimate experience. I think it must be beautiful."

She looked away in thought. A deeply melancholic look was forming on her face. It was a look that Fox was familiar with. Whenever Krystal talked about Cerinia, her family, or what her life had been like at home, she got like this. And Fox knew that the best way to help Krystal in these situations. He hugged her, and began to rock her gently. Silence in these moments was the best policy. What Krystal wanted most at these times was the simple comfort of his presence, and this was something Fox was all too willing to give to the vixen he loved.

* * *

One afternoon, while the two were enjoying lunch in a Deli they frequented after afternoon walks, the television in the restaurant cued them on the latest exploits of Falco and Katt, as the two members of Star Fox's successor, Star Falco.

"Those two took out a whole pirate outpost by themselves," said Krystal in amazement.

"They make an excellent team," said Fox, after taking a bit from his sandwich. "Whereas I had to keep Falco in check, Falco can set any pace he wants now that he's in charge. And Katt can keep up with him any day of the week. That's how I know they'll be fine."

"You know," said Krystal, staring at a potato chip thoughtfully, "Katt probably has been waiting for this for a long time, teaming up with Falco and him finally taking their relationship seriously. I'm sure it's like us. Those two will stick together no matter where they go."

"All the more remarkable, considering how loud those two can get at each other," said Fox. They shared a laugh at that.

It felt weird for Fox to know that there was another team out there, getting the job done. He'd been used to the feeling of being the person Lylat called on in it's darkest hour, or when it needed a hand. Now, he would be on the sidelines mostly, watching other people save the world. However, Fox was confident in Falco's ability to take care of things with Katt at his side, so he could rest easily.

"I feel the same way," said Krystal. She winked at him. "Sorry, I couldn't resists peeking into your train of thought."

"No, it's fine. Just a small thought anyway," said Fox, smiling.

"Star Fox lives on, just in another form," said Krystal.

"It does. I'll miss it, but it's in capable hands," said Fox, taking a sip from his soda.

"Again, I feel the same way," Krystal replied.

* * *

After those times passed, a week since coming home from the hospital, Krystal brought up something significant. She brought it up in the evening; while the two of them were watching the stars come out on the back porch of the apartment. Krystal was deep in thought, and Fox let her be. He decided she must need the quiet right now.

"Fox?" she said.

"Yes?" he answered.

"Do you remember when I mentioned, at the hospital, that there is a special Cerinian marriage tradition? The mind link?"

"I do remember," said Fox, thinking back briefly to that time. "What about it?"

"I want to do it now," said Krystal.

The suddenness of the request gave Fox pause.

"Really? Tonight?" he asked.

Krystal gave Fox a worried look. "Do you…not want to do it right now?"

"Huh? Oh, I'd like to, that's not it. It's just that this is so sudden, you know. Why now?"

"Because I want to experience it. All I've heard about this tradition is that it's amazing, a magical experience. All about feeling a new level of intimacy and love," she said. She clasped her hands over her heart. "Your mind feels wonderful already, and to think that it could feel better…Fox, I want to experience that so badly. I want to do this now. Are you okay with that?"

"Yes, absolutely," said Fox. "I'm just wondering about how it will affect me. I mean, this is a Cerinian tradition. It still works on non-Cerinians, like you said. It also must have some kind of special reaction with me, right?"

Krystal looked thoughtful and tapped her chin. "Well…that's anyone's guess. I've heard stories about it. Some say that the non-Cerinian actually gains some telepathic ability, as a blessing. So I've heard. But what I do know is that the non-Cerinian for sure feels the bond enhanced, just like the Cerinian. So it's not like you're getting jilted, so to speak.

Fox thought of how wonderful Krystal's powers felt already, and then considered how wonderful they would feel after this tradition. He beamed at her.

"Let's do it," he said.

Krystal looked incredibly happy, with a wide smile and misty eyes. "Oh, thank you, Fox. Leave the preparations to me."

"You can do all the preparations in the apartment?"

"Yes, I can," she replied. She stood up and walked back into the living room.

"I just hope you don't mind me drawing on the living room floor?" she called back.

* * *

Fox had always assumed that the tattoos on Krystal's body were of some religious significance, before she ever confirmed that to him. They were given to her at birth, to mark not just her family house, but also her patron Sister. She always touched them before praying. And occasionally during prayer sessions, they glowed.

And right now, as she worked in the living room, Fox could see these tattoos must be taken from other Cerinian Religious practices. Krystal was on her knees, drawing an ornate circle, around which where characters Krystal called "runes." Once the circle was finished, she drew a swirl pattern in its center, very similar to the pattern on her thigh. The whole design was drawn in bright white chalk. The drawing style looked so much like Krystal's markings that he imagined the ornate design was probably tattooed to a Cerinian religious leader at some point.

The two of them were also completely naked. Not an unwelcome part of this ceremony, thought Fox. Krystal looked at him and winked.

Then Krystal stood up and admired her handiwork. Fox could imagine two bodies fitting in the circle, and it clicked for Fox as to what the circle was probably for.

"I can imagine we're supposed to get in this," said Fox, "but how does this ritual work, exactly?"

"You are correct with the first part," Krystal answered. "The two of us lay down side by side. Then I said the evocation for the ceremony. After that…well, I don't know. My parent didn't tell me what was after that. All part of the surprise."

"To be honest, that makes me excited," said Fox. "We'll never know how good this will feel before we try it, right?"

Krystal moved in to kiss him. "Right," she replied.

They lay down on their sides facing each other, snuggling close and clasping their hands together. Krystal began the invocation, and Fox closed his eyes. He loved it when she spoke Cerinian. The language was an odd mixture of soft and sharp sounds, but Krystal made it all sound so smooth and welcome to his ears.

Once Krystal finished, the world went white.

* * *

When Krystal opened her eyes, she was standing within the grassy plan of a park. It was night, with a full moon in the sky, and all was quiet. Bewildered, she looked around, and saw a sleepy looking town surrounding the park. Quaint looking houses, a mom and pop drugstore and grocery, and an overall small town atmosphere that felt cozy. There was a light breeze, which made the comfortable temperature so much better. There was no one around, but the scene was so comfortable that she honestly didn't mind.

"Where am I?" she asked quietly.

She remembered the ritual. All at once, she was struck by how surreal this scene felt, and then pieced together that actually, none of what was around her felt real exactly. Whatever this was—beautiful scene it may be—it was an illusion of sorts. It didn't feel foreboding at all. In fact, the blue vixen felt a great sense of peace.

"This must be the ritual," she whispered. "Still, I don't think I've ever been here before…why am I here?"

She walked toward the town, finding a gravel path that lead her to main street, with homes and shops at the side. There was no one around, and she took her time looking around and trying to figure out where she was. The constellations in the sky let her know she was still in Lylat, but where exactly, she didn't know. But once she passed a sign that let her know the name of the town, it all came back to her.

'Balfor,' the sign said. She remembered a conversation with Fox some time ago, about a sleepy little town on Papetoon where he was born, before eventually moving to Corneria. She smiled to herself. The wonderfully homely feeling felt right. She didn't know why she was here, but she was in the place where Fox was born, so many years ago. She remembered how Fox had taken her here on a date, once.

She kept walking, and found a home at the end of the road. It didn't look outstanding compared to the other homes. It was one story, made of wood, had an adorable front porch, and it gave off the feeling that the homely atmosphere if the town was originating from here. All of the sudden, her smile brightened. She understood.

"Yeah, this is where he was born. Lovely little place, isn't it?"

Krystal whirled around. There was a vulpine man, staring at her, with golden-brown fur, a flight suit and jacket, and reflective aviators that showed her own shocked expression.

"James!" she said.

"We lived here for about four years after Fox was born," said James. "Then we moved to Corneria once prospects with their airforce looked better than work here. And the rest is history." He smiled a happy-go-lucky grin that Krystal had seen shades of on Fox's own muzzle. "Hiya, Krystal. Nice to meet you like this."

She walked forward, in a daze for what to do. She reached a hand forward to shake his hand, but he pulled her into a hug.

"Come on, girl, you're gonna be family. Act like it," he said.

Krystal chuckled. "I suppose I will be, soon. It's just…I never thought I would see you face to face. How are you here? You wouldn't happen to know what's going on, would you?"

James shrugged. "To be honest? I'm not sure. I just found myself here of all of sudden. Might have something to do with that ritual of yours," he said. "How do I know that? Well, I have my ways. "

"The magic of the ritual must be so much more powerful than I imagined," said Krystal thoughtfully.

Again, James shrugged and smiled at her. "Walk with me Krystal. I've been meaning to talk with you."

So they began to walk.

Very quickly, Krystal saw more of whatever powers were at work thanks to the ritual. The scenery around them began to change dramatically. The small Papetoonian town around them began to shift and reform into a larger, more populated looking suburb that Krystal knew well. The homes looked regular, relatively the same, and the small town vibe was replaced with the comfortable feel of safe and unassuming suburban living. This place, Krystal knew, was the place Fox lived with his parents on Corneria, before tragedy struck. Fox showed her this place shortly after she began training in the Arwing, a little bit after the two of them began to realize that their then-friendship was decidedly strong.

There were standing right in front of his house, in fact. Just as Krystal remembered it. Two stories, single garage, and a drive way that James and Fox used to play basketball.

"So, Krystal," said James, apparently unaffected by the strangeness around him, "what do you think of Fox?"

"What do you mean?" said Krystal. "It's a very open-ended question. I love him, and he's important to me."

"I know that," said James, smiling at her. "I mean, what else do you think about him?"

Krystal tapped her chin. "Well, I feel safe around him. We've been so close together now that he feels a little like a part of me. And his mind is so familiar and warm to me now, that I can just nestle in his mind and feel the sensations. Basically, I feel at peace around him. I know he's the man I want to spend the rest of my life with."

"Why Fox, in particular? There are many other guys out there."

Krystal smirked. "And there's only one Fox McCloud."

James busted out laughing. It sounded just like Fox's laugh, though louder and full-throated. She thought that James must have been a wonderful father, even after what happened to Vixy. Fox's emotional pillar to guide him in a time of great grief.

"That's true," said James, smiling at her. "You know, what you just said, is kinda how I felt around Vixy."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Besides the telepathic powers, of course. You feel connected to the people you love. You want to be near them, and you feel alive when they are close. They even feel like a part of you, you know?"

Krystal stared at James for a moment, before a warm smile crossed her muzzle.

"You were testing me," she said.

"Yes, he was."

That voice was heavenly and warm. Krystal saw a vixen appear by James' side, holding his hand. Her eyes were strikingly green, and very familiar. She'd seen her so many times in pictures. Secret ones that Fox kept to himself, because this Vixen was one of the people Fox kept closest to his heart, along with his father.

"You're Vixy," said Krystal quietly.

"Yes," she said. She smiled lovingly at her. "And it's wonderful to finally meet you face-to-face, Krystal. Or should I say, daughter-in-law."

"The pleasure is all mine," said Krystal. "Fox talks so much about the two of you, and it's amazing to finally meet you both." It was surreal as well. They both seemed to shimmer, standing there looking like they never died.

"I'm sure you have some questions to ask her, Vixy," said James.

"Honestly, Jamsey, you asked the most important one," said Vixy. "But I have one question to ask. Will you take care of him?"

Krystal bowed. "No matter what, I will be by his side," she said solemnly.

"Thank you," said Vixy. "I believe you. I felt the same as you, with James. Always running off and fighting, sometimes asking me to distance myself from him." She looked at James with an admonishing look.

"And you stuck to me like glue," said James, smiling at her. "I can't complain."

"I've seen how the two of you lean on one another," said Vixy. "Continue to do that. There's beauty in that."

Now the three of them found themselves suddenly in Fox and Krystal's apartment. Fitting, she thought. This was Fox's home now. With her.

"I'll keep him out of trouble, don't worry," she said, tearing up a little. "Just count on me."

"Good," said Vixy.

At that moment Vixy looked over at James, her expression solemn, and pleading. Krystal was struck by it.

"James," said Vixy, "It's time for you to rest, with me."

James looked at her for a long moment, and then at Krystal.

And finally, all those stories of Fox swearing his father was there somewhere, looking out for him, made sense.

"You can't holdmoff death any longer," Vixy pleaded. "Come rest with me."

James looked one final time at Krystal, before nodding.

A golden light surrounded the two of them, and Krystal's vision whited out.

* * *

Fox was no stranger to Cerinian landscape, thanks to the mental tours Krystal took him on in their shared dreams. He knew the home he was standing in front of. It was a large, two story building of stone and wood, surrounded by lovely trees and bushes, all well taken care of. It was the Zonoc family home. Krystal's place of birth, and where she had lived all her days on Cerinia until that fateful day.

Why was he here, though? This was obviously an illusion. Was it a dream? Fox thought hard to recall what had happened before this, and remembered the ritual.

"Krystal did say she had no idea about what this ritual might do," said Fox quietly. Talk about powerful, if it was able to conjure up a dream like this. The world shimmered, as if to answer.

Despite this strangeness, Fox felt no panic. He instead decided to walk slowly into the home, which was lit by soft lantern light. The foyer was as well decorated as he remembered, with beautiful furniture trimmed with gold, and art on the walls that reminded Fox of the paintings Krystal liked to paint.

He followed a path Krystal had shown him many times. The path to her old room, which was where she always took him during these dreams. Krystal's room was as fancy as the rest of the house was, with a homely, gentle atmosphere to it. There were paintings of her family on the ways, a sketchbook on the bed, and overall it looked lived in.

"It's bittersweet to see this room like this," said a wizened voice.

Fox turned around.

The stately looking todd standing in front of him could only be Krystal's father. His fur was darker than hers, but the resemblance was there. His eyes were the same as hers. He looked at him with a patient smile, waiting as Fox took in the sight of him.

"Jade," said Fox. He remembered Krystal's stories about the man.

"Yes," said the todd. nodding kindly. "It's wonderful to finally meet you, Fox McCloud. I've been watching you and Krystal for some time now."

He walked over to Krystal's bed and sat down, beckoning for Fox to sit down next to him. Fox did so, and all the while thought about how surreal this was. Despite how much Krystal talked about her parents, it still felt so strange to finally meet one of them.

"Is this…?" Fox asked, trailing off and motioning to their surroundings.

"Yes," said Jade. "This is all part of the ritual. Happy that I kept it a secret from Krystal?"

"It's surprising," said Fox. "I've never seen anything like this."

"Before the bond can be formed, this ritual tests you," said Jade. "It is the responsibility of important figures in both party's lives to question the subjects. Basically, think of this as a rather bombastic "meeting the folks" situation." Jade chuckled.

Fox chuckled back, realizing he was about to have one of the best "meet the parents" stories ever. "I've been wanting to talk to you guys for a while too, you know. It's a mutual thing for me and Krys. We've always wanted to meet each other's parents in some way. I'm guessing she's meeting with my folks right now?"

"Oh yes! And I'm sure it's a wonderful experience for her. Now then," and Jade motioned for Fox to follow him. "Walk with me, Fox. I have much to talk to you about."

Jade led him out of the room and out of the house, into a large and beautiful garden. It was designed something like a hedge maze, though with chest high hedges instead of the towering green walls someone could see at an old Cornerian palace. The hedges were spotted with blue roses, and the walkway for the garden was white marble that shined in the sun. Fox enjoyed the sound of his and Jade's shoes clacking on the material.

"Krystal, her sister Fiora, and her mother loved tending to this garden," said Jade wistfully. "I did whenever I could, when I wasn't busy with work. But we all enjoyed walks in it."

"It's very lovely," said Fox.

"Yes. Krystal and Fiora, loved to play tag here as kits. Seeing it in any state, even in an illusion is hard. But enough. I'm casting a rain cloud on this conversation," and the old todd smiled at him. "Why my daughter, Fox McCloud?"

"Well," Fox began, rubbing the back of his neck, "It started with looks, if I'm going to be honest. Krystal is the most beautiful vixen I've ever seen. Blue has since become a favorite color of mine," and he relaxed when he saw Jade chuckle at that. "But more than that, I was amazed at how strong she was."

"She continued on, even after The Calamity," said Jade quietly.

"Losing my parents about destroyed me. For Krys to be as okay as she was, after having her entire planet wiped out…she's amazing. And then…" and now Fox blushed, "I loved how kind and gentle she was. She was so happy too when I asked her to stay. We got to talking more often, and before long, I didn't want to leave her side. She's so good to me….and," and here Fox's breath hitched, "and I can't believe how lucky I am. I only hope I'm half as good to her as she is to me."

"Do you want her happiness?" Asked Jade.

"Yes," said Fox simply. "I love her."

"Then that is enough of an answer. Your resolve is admirable," said Jade. "And I saw your attempt to have her leave the team for her safety. Your love is clear, Fox."

"I'm not proud of asking her that," said Fox.

"And you beat yourself up as much as my daughter claims," said Jade.

Fox smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. Basically…Krystal feels like home. I'm at peace when's she nearby."

Jade touched a flower, fingering its petals. "And her powers? What do you feel about them?"

"At first, they made me nervous,' said Fox. "A little. But…well, I felt that I could trust her not to pry. And she didn't. In fact," Fox smiled warmly, "I've come to like them a lot. I love the feeling of her being in my head."

Fox felt a hand touch his cheek, and an arm wrap around his neck. He was gently guided to perhaps the largest bosom he had ever seen, and was smooshed between them.

"You're just as adorable as I thought you would be, son-in-law," said a kind, vivacious voice. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Don't suffocate him, Sapphire," said Jade playfully.

Fox was pushed further into cleavage, before his head was raised so he could see the beautiful vixen looking down at with a kind look. Krystal's mother looked a lot like her. Her fur was the same shade, though her head fur was longer and lighter. Her smile was a ghost of the same smile Krystal always gave him. She also promptly ignored Jade's request further, and kept him planted to her bosom.

"So, Foxy," said Sapphire teasingly, "Are my breasts bigger than Krystal's?"

Whatever Fox wanted to say to Sapphire died in his mouth, and his train of thought derailed magnificently.

"Dear," said Jade in deadpan. "You're breaking his mind."

"Oh, fine," said Sapphire, squeezing Fox one more time before letting him go.

"Krys always said you had no filter," said Fox breathlessly, having trouble looking Sapphire in the eye. "She…she wasn't lying."

"She wasn't, was she?" said Sapphire. She cackled for moment, before coming closer and kissing him on the cheek. "It really is so good to meet you, dear. We've watched the both of you together for some time now, as you grew in love and experience. Seeing you and Krystal preform this ritual together brings me more joy than you can imagine, dear."

"Between mates," she continued, "this ritual is a new beginning. Turning the page to a new chapter. From now on , you will be connected, mind and soul."

Fox nodded. He was ready for this. He'd been ready for a while, really. He would be connected to Krystal in a whole new intimate level. The scenery shimmered around them, and now they were in their apartment in the living room. It clicked quickly for Fox—they had moved from one home, to the next.

"Promise us something, Fox," said Sapphire.

"Anything," said Fox.

"Watch over her," said Jade. "It's time for the two of us to move on, now. We need you to take care of her. She holds the last pieces of Cerinia within her, and your children will continue its legacy. More than that, she is our daughter, and I want her happiness more than anything."

"Absolutely," said Fox. "I will stay by her side."

Jade and Sapphire smiled. It was a smile that let Fox know they trusted him completely. He was humbled.

He vision gave way to a flash of white.

* * *

A cool breeze blowing on his face is what woke Fox up. Judging from how he felt the breeze, he was naked. When he sat up, he discovered that he was laying on a grassy meadow, with a perfumed smell in the air. It was an amorous smell that put his mind at ease, but made him long for Krystal.

He looked to his side, and there she was, laying next to him. Krystal looked at him, smiling gently. He gave her a goofy smirk in return.

"You met my parents," she said.

"And you met mine," he said.

Early in their relationship, Fox tried to fill these silences with something. Krystal would always tell him to shush.. There was nothing he could say to make this moment better than it already was.

She came close to him, and nuzzled him. He lay down on his side and licked her cheek.

Then he rolled on top of her.

Making love with Krystal was a magical experience, as always. But this time was different. It didn't just feel like sex. There was pleasure as they moaned and sighed, touching in all the right places, but there was more. He felt Krystal. Felt her in his mind and soul like he had never felt her before. He knew he would always be with her, and she with him.

They made love in that meadow for what seemed like hours, until their bodies ached and they needed sleep. They curled next to one another, and slept.

* * *

Fox felt sticky when he awoke. There was a salty, musky smell floating over him, and the air felt humid. Slowly Fox's eyes opened, and he saw Krystal, lying next to him with a content smile on her face.

She looked soaked.

"Hi," she said dreamily.

"Hi," said Fox, putting on a dreamy smile of his own. "Did we just-"

"Oh, yes," Krystal murred.

What a way to wake up, Fox thought.

They let the silence carry on as they reveled in what happened. Krystal's presence felt stronger. She was nearer. She felt her caress his mind with a force that made him shiver, and he loved it. Krystal chuckled, and her eyes glowed, and he began to purr while being dazed with pleasure. By they time she was finished, Fox was panting. Her mind was intoxicating. He was content to lay there with her all day.

Krystal eyes caught something, and she frowned.

"What's wrong?" Fox asked.

"You're right eye…" she whispered.

Then he saw it on her left eye.

They both hurried to the bathroom, and the sight was shocking. Fox's left eye was his normal green, but now his left was Krystal's turquoise blue. With Krystal, her left eye sported his green, while her right was normal.

"What in the world?" Fox whispered.

"A physical sign," Krystal said, in awe.

The two of them stared. Then they leaned on one another.


End file.
